Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Great Waltz (1938)



Academy Awards, USA
YearResultAwardCategory/Recipient(s)
1939 Won Oscar Best Cinematography
Joseph Ruttenberg
Nominated Oscar Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Miliza Korjus
Best Film Editing
Tom Held

MGM
Directed by Julien Duvivier
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(Turner Classic Movies)

The life of Johann Strauss is presented not based on facts, but rather in the "spirit of his music", so it reads in the opening credits. Too much of the film is riddled with German/Austrian stereotypes. However, somewhere in the last half of the story, the plot takes a dark turn. Strauss falls in love with his leading lady, and when his wife discovers the affair she stuffs a gun in her purse and heads for the opera house. We never see the gun again, but it does provide some tense scenes in the dressing room confrontation. Mostly though, it's those stereotypes and the music that leave a lasting impression.


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