Immortal Waltz (German: Unsterblicher Walzer) is a 1939 historical drama film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Paul Hörbiger, Dagny Servaes, and Maria Andergast.
| Immortal Waltz | |
|---|---|
 German film poster | |
| German | Unsterblicher Walzer |
| Directed by | E. W. Emo |
| Written by | Karl Köstlin Friedrich Schreyvogel |
| Produced by | E. W. Emo |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Hans Schneeberger |
| Music by | Alois Melichar |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Tobis Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
It was shot at the Rosenhügel Studios in Vienna. The film's art direction was by Julius von Borsody. The film portrays the lives the Austrian composer Johann Strauss I and family.[1] The film was made by Wien-Film, a Vienna-based company set up after Austria had been incorporated into Greater Germany following the 1938 Anschluss.
Plot edit
Johann Strauss I firmly established himself as the leader of a dance band in Vienna in the 1840s. His sons Johann Strauss II and Josef obviously inherited their father's talent. Nevertheless, father Johann is strictly opposed to the two being trained as composers by concertmaster Amon, a good friend of his. Johann II and Josef attend the Vienna Polytechnic under paternal pressure, but Johann junior soon abandons his studies, which makes Johann angry at his son. Johann Strauss junior then goes his own way and breaks off contact with his family. Few years later, Johann Strauss' son has finally made it and is celebrated by the public as the new king of waltz. Father Johann, who is satisfied with his son's accomplishment, decides not to speak to his highly talented son in person. But soon after it, at the age of 44, Johann falls seriously ill with scarlet fever and dies, without speaking to his son.
Meanwhile, Josef has finished his studies at the Polytechnic and begins to work as an engineer, while still practicing music, he composes every time he have a free minute. Although his father has since passed away, Josef, unlike his brother Johann, does not dare to rebel against his father's wish. Through his wife Lina, Johann junior learns about the conflict in which Josef entangled himself in. He gives Josef an opportunity to prove his musical skills for the first time at a New Year's Eve celebration. Josef's premiere is a great success, and he is finally completely committed to music and ends his engineering career.
Josef had such a great success that he asks Johann to represent him on one of the other occasions. Meantime, the youngest of the three brothers, Eduard Strauss, has also grown up and also shows ambition as a composer. However, he and Joseph are under the shadow of the much famous brother, against whom they shall compete. Eventually, it is old Amon who creates a group, called "Strauss", in which all three Strausses are performing and inspiring the masses with their waltz music.
Cast edit
- Paul Hörbiger as Johann Strauss I
- Dagny Servaes as Anna Strauss, mother
- Maria Andergast as Lina Strauss
- Friedl Czepa as Regine Endlweber
- Gretl Theimer as Emilie Trampusch
- Fred Liewehr as Johann Strauss II
- Karl Kalwoda as young Johann Strauss
- Hans Holt as Josef Strauss
- Karl Heinz Kaiser as young Josef Strauss
- Fritz Lehmann as Eduard Strauss
- Hannes Grötzer as Edi Strauss's son as a child
- Karl Skraup as Amon, concertmaster
- Karl Binder as Wotruba, magistrate's assistant
- Julius Brandt as manufacturer
- Siegfried Breuer
- Brezina as Portier
- Lia Burg as Strauss's cook
- Franz Böheim as butler
- Rudolf Carl as Piscatschek, servant
- Hugo Drahosal as Lohndiener
- Karl Forest as Director des Etabl. 'To The Black Poodle'
- Emilie Giesrau as an elderly lady
- Pepi Glöckner-Kramer as charwoman
- Karl Hauser as Servant
- Willy Hein as Principal
- Rudi Horky as Kursekretär
- Walter Huber as mason
- Fritz Imhoff as Sigrista, magistrate
- Edi Klitsch as civil servant at the TU Wien
- Loidolt as kitchen maid
- Lorenzy as cashier
- Ferdinand Mayerhofer as Hotelportier
- Ernst Nadherny as Kurdirektor
- Erich Nikowitz as Official Wagner
- Carmen Perwolf as cook
- Ernst Reitter as Professor Kinzelberger
- Wilhelm Schich as Haslinger
- Maria Schnorrpfeil as Stubenmädchen
- Mimi Stelzer as cook
- Tomaselli as soldier
- Hans Unterkircher as Regierungsrat
- Kurt von Lessen as Count Jublinoff
- Mary Wawra as Mitzi
- Oskar Wegrostek as Gerichtsvollzieher
- Wiechert as Bauzeichner
References edit
- ^ Hake, Sabine (2001). Popular Cinema of the Third Reich. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. p. 152. doi:10.7560/734579. ISBN 0292734581. JSTOR 10.7560/734579.
External links edit
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