A Great Musical Film by Hitchcock. He made this film when he was at the lowest point of his career. But he put all of his efforts into this project.
I love the humor used in this film. I love the scenes where Esmond Knight develops his music by watching workers arrange the bread and other food.
"Fear" is one of the major elements in a Hitchcock film. In this film, we see the fear of being ignored, fear of failure, fear of losing someone you love." Edmund Gwenn was brilliant as Johann Strauss Sr. We can really see his fear through his actions and emotions. He is a man who is dedicated to the world of music. But he is getting old. And he is afraid that his career as a composer is almost over. And he is also afraid that he will be forgotten in the future years as a great composer who put all his great efforts for the world of music. For Example, Johann Strauss says to his son Young Strauss "You think I am already at a standstill. Perhaps even a back number." This is mentioned before Young Strauss plays his music in front of his father and other composers in the middle of the film. This is connected to Hitchcock's life during that time.
When Hitchcock was making this film, his career was in trouble. Like Gwenn's character Johann Strauss Sr, Hitchcock did think about his future years as a filmmaker. But I heard through Truffaut/Hitchcock audio interview that it didn't fortunately reach to a point where he "believed" his career was over. But he didn't have any projects for thriller genre during that time. So he ended up picking this musical project so that there will be some hope for him in the future as a great filmmaker.
With the help of his wife Alma Reville, he puts his fear into the character of Johann Strauss Sr. and his son Young Strauss. His wife Alma Reville co-wrote the screenplay.
Young Johann Strauss Jr. is afraid that he will never become a successful composer in the future. During that time, Hitchcock was concerned about his future career. Hitchcock's 2 previous films (Rich and Strange, No. 17) before this film were failures.
Jessie Matthews (Rasi) fears that she may lose Young Strauss to Countess Helga (Fay Compton). That's why she is jealous of Countess Helga. Fear can lead a human into becoming a cruel person. That's what see in character Johann Strauss Sr (Gwenn). In Hitchcock's film Saboteur (1942), Blind Man (Vaughan Glaser) asks his niece Patricia Martin (Priscilla Lane) a question "Are you frightened, Pat? Is that what makes you so cruel?" We see this through the character of Strauss Sr too. Gustav (Frank Vosper) fears that his wife is having affair with another man. Hitchcock puts some of the film's humor through Gustav.
Hitchcock used lengthy shots in this film. Hitchcock used long take technique for the first time in Juno and Paycock. Here we see some lengthy shots in the film.
This film also shows Hitchcock's ability to make a film outside thriller genre.
Although this film is ignored, still I think it is a great film from Alfred Hitchcock. Even though Hitchcock wasn't really interested in this project, still he put a great deal of effort into this film through the script and the direction.
Like I mentioned before, another thing I love about this film is the personal elements applied by Hitchcock. For Example, the scene where Rasi's father comes and talks to Rasi about Johann Strauss Jr (Esmond Knight). Rasi's father says this to Rasi - "He (Strauss Jr.) will never make a baker. He hasn't his heart in it." This is like Hitchcock saying "I am not interested in making musicals. I am interested in making films in the thriller genre." I think these elements make this film stronger, because Hitchcock is giving his personal statements to the audience through this film in a subtle way.
In a way, I "thought" Countess Helga was a cunning lady villain. Countess Helga "really" did want Strauss Jr. to become a successful musician. But she cunningly used the idea of providing a successful music career to Strauss Jr. so that she could eliminate the love relationship between Strauss Jr. and Rasi. She was interested in Strauss Jr. romantically and she also knew that Rasi was jealous. But the love Strauss Jr. and Rasi have for each other comes from the bottom of their hearts.
When Rasi tries to leave Strauss Jr. in the middle of the film, Strauss Jr. comes to her and tells her that he loves her and he sacrifices his whole music career for her by becoming a baker. Even after Rasi tries to end the romantic relationship, she comes to save her beloved Strauss Jr. when she finds out that he is in danger. It must be noted that Strauss Jr. becomes a successful music career "mainly" because of Rasi. Strauss Jr.'s musical work comes to "fruition" only after Rasi gets involved in his work. It was Rasi who gives the "music tune" of success to Strauss Jr. Not Countess Helga. Through Rasi, Strauss Jr. succeeded with his musical work. Although Strauss Jr. gets his great success as a composer, still he reveals to Rasi that he is nothing without Rasi. Despite all the conflicts, the deep romantic feelings they (Strauss Jr. and Rasi) have for each other brings them back together in the end.
I liked performances especially from Jessie Matthews, Esmond Knight, and Edmund Gwenn. My request is give this film a second chance. Afterall, it is a film from Hitchcock. I rate this film 10 out of 10.
I love the humor used in this film. I love the scenes where Esmond Knight develops his music by watching workers arrange the bread and other food.
"Fear" is one of the major elements in a Hitchcock film. In this film, we see the fear of being ignored, fear of failure, fear of losing someone you love." Edmund Gwenn was brilliant as Johann Strauss Sr. We can really see his fear through his actions and emotions. He is a man who is dedicated to the world of music. But he is getting old. And he is afraid that his career as a composer is almost over. And he is also afraid that he will be forgotten in the future years as a great composer who put all his great efforts for the world of music. For Example, Johann Strauss says to his son Young Strauss "You think I am already at a standstill. Perhaps even a back number." This is mentioned before Young Strauss plays his music in front of his father and other composers in the middle of the film. This is connected to Hitchcock's life during that time.
When Hitchcock was making this film, his career was in trouble. Like Gwenn's character Johann Strauss Sr, Hitchcock did think about his future years as a filmmaker. But I heard through Truffaut/Hitchcock audio interview that it didn't fortunately reach to a point where he "believed" his career was over. But he didn't have any projects for thriller genre during that time. So he ended up picking this musical project so that there will be some hope for him in the future as a great filmmaker.
With the help of his wife Alma Reville, he puts his fear into the character of Johann Strauss Sr. and his son Young Strauss. His wife Alma Reville co-wrote the screenplay.
Young Johann Strauss Jr. is afraid that he will never become a successful composer in the future. During that time, Hitchcock was concerned about his future career. Hitchcock's 2 previous films (Rich and Strange, No. 17) before this film were failures.
Jessie Matthews (Rasi) fears that she may lose Young Strauss to Countess Helga (Fay Compton). That's why she is jealous of Countess Helga. Fear can lead a human into becoming a cruel person. That's what see in character Johann Strauss Sr (Gwenn). In Hitchcock's film Saboteur (1942), Blind Man (Vaughan Glaser) asks his niece Patricia Martin (Priscilla Lane) a question "Are you frightened, Pat? Is that what makes you so cruel?" We see this through the character of Strauss Sr too. Gustav (Frank Vosper) fears that his wife is having affair with another man. Hitchcock puts some of the film's humor through Gustav.
Hitchcock used lengthy shots in this film. Hitchcock used long take technique for the first time in Juno and Paycock. Here we see some lengthy shots in the film.
This film also shows Hitchcock's ability to make a film outside thriller genre.
Although this film is ignored, still I think it is a great film from Alfred Hitchcock. Even though Hitchcock wasn't really interested in this project, still he put a great deal of effort into this film through the script and the direction.
Like I mentioned before, another thing I love about this film is the personal elements applied by Hitchcock. For Example, the scene where Rasi's father comes and talks to Rasi about Johann Strauss Jr (Esmond Knight). Rasi's father says this to Rasi - "He (Strauss Jr.) will never make a baker. He hasn't his heart in it." This is like Hitchcock saying "I am not interested in making musicals. I am interested in making films in the thriller genre." I think these elements make this film stronger, because Hitchcock is giving his personal statements to the audience through this film in a subtle way.
In a way, I "thought" Countess Helga was a cunning lady villain. Countess Helga "really" did want Strauss Jr. to become a successful musician. But she cunningly used the idea of providing a successful music career to Strauss Jr. so that she could eliminate the love relationship between Strauss Jr. and Rasi. She was interested in Strauss Jr. romantically and she also knew that Rasi was jealous. But the love Strauss Jr. and Rasi have for each other comes from the bottom of their hearts.
When Rasi tries to leave Strauss Jr. in the middle of the film, Strauss Jr. comes to her and tells her that he loves her and he sacrifices his whole music career for her by becoming a baker. Even after Rasi tries to end the romantic relationship, she comes to save her beloved Strauss Jr. when she finds out that he is in danger. It must be noted that Strauss Jr. becomes a successful music career "mainly" because of Rasi. Strauss Jr.'s musical work comes to "fruition" only after Rasi gets involved in his work. It was Rasi who gives the "music tune" of success to Strauss Jr. Not Countess Helga. Through Rasi, Strauss Jr. succeeded with his musical work. Although Strauss Jr. gets his great success as a composer, still he reveals to Rasi that he is nothing without Rasi. Despite all the conflicts, the deep romantic feelings they (Strauss Jr. and Rasi) have for each other brings them back together in the end.
I liked performances especially from Jessie Matthews, Esmond Knight, and Edmund Gwenn. My request is give this film a second chance. Afterall, it is a film from Hitchcock. I rate this film 10 out of 10.