The Great Waltz (1938 film)
A Strauss biopic featuring an audience with Emperor Franz Joseph I.
The Great Waltz is a 1938 American biographical film loosely based on the life of Johann Strauss II. It stars Luise Rainer, Fernand Gravet, and Miliza Korjus, with Korjus in her only starring role. The film won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and was nominated for two others.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Julien Duvivier
- Victor Fleming (uncredited)
- Josef von Sternberg (uncredited)
- Producer
- Bernard H. Hyman
- Writer
- Gottfried Reinhardt (story)
- Samuel Hoffenstein
- Walter Reisch
- Vicki Baum (story, uncredited)
- Starring
- Fernand Gravet
- Luise Rainer
- Miliza Korjus
- Music
- Johann Strauss Jr.
- Arthur Gutmann
- Dimitri Tiomkin
- Paul Marquardt
- Cinematography
- Joseph Ruttenberg
- Editing
- Tom Held
- Distributor
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The film was popular in Australia and distributed in Sydney and Melbourne for two years after release.
- In the USSR, the film was shown in cinemas twice, in 1940 and 1960, each time gathering over 25 million spectators.
- According to MGM records, the film resulted in a loss of $724,000.
Plot
Schani is dismissed from his bank job and forms a group of unemployed musicians who perform at Dommayer's cafe. The audience is small until opera singers Carla Donner and Fritz Schiller visit while their carriage is repaired, drawing a larger crowd. Strauss joins a student protest; he and Carla escape to the Vienna Woods, where he composes "Tales from the Vienna Woods". Carla helps him secure a publishing contract, allowing him to marry Poldi Vogelhuber. Despite rumors about Strauss and Carla, Poldi remains loyal. Strauss is received by Kaiser Franz Joseph I, whom he had unknowingly insulted after the protests, and they stand together on the Schönbrunn balcony.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed The Great Waltz (1938 film)?
The Great Waltz was directed by Julien Duvivier, Victor Fleming (uncredited) and Josef von Sternberg (uncredited).
When was The Great Waltz (1938 film) released?
The Great Waltz was released on 4 November 1938.
Who composed the music for The Great Waltz (1938 film)?
The music for The Great Waltz was composed by Johann Strauss Jr., Arthur Gutmann, Dimitri Tiomkin and Paul Marquardt.
Who wrote The Great Waltz (1938 film)?
The Great Waltz was written by Gottfried Reinhardt (story), Samuel Hoffenstein, Walter Reisch and Vicki Baum (story, uncredited).
More in Cultural Depictions of Franz Joseph I of Austria
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