THE GREAT WALTZ (1972)

This biopic about the great waltz composer Johann Strauss Jr. is related to but not directly based on the 1938 film of the same title. It begins with Strauss's father (Nigel Patrick) in the middle of conducting a concert when he is confronted by his estranged wife Anna (Yvonne Mitchell) because she has learned that his mistress Emily has borne him a child and named him Johann, just like his legitimate son (Horst Buchholz, pictured). After he refuses to rename the child, Anna, in revenge, springs the news on him that Johann Jr. has decided to become a violinist, a career his father was set against because of its financial insecurities. But another reason might be jealousy, as we find out when Anna tells Johann Sr. that the son's teacher believes that Johann Jr. is likely to surpass the talents of his father. When Johann Jr. gives his first concert, his mother has "Jr." put on the poster in tiny letters, and when the audience sees him, they express their disappointment loudly (his small orchestra is belittled as a "ragtag group" of tavern musicians). Two men who were hired by Senior to disrupt the concert begin booing loudly, and the audience joins them, but eventually Johann wins them over and his father eventually softens when he hears him play. That night, he meets opera singer Jetty Treffz (Mary Costa) who encourages him. He shoots to fame quickly and a few years later he runs into Jetty again, who is the mistress of Baron Tedesco (Rosanno Brazzi). The Baron senses an attraction between Jetty and Johann and tries to keep them apart, but eventually they marry, with (more or less) the best wishes of the Baron and of Johann's mother. Their relationship is troubled a bit by Johann's roving eye and Jetty's buried secret (she has a bastard son). All that remains is for the Blue Danube Waltz to shoot Johann to everlasting fame.

This is much like Andrew Stone's earlier biopic, SONG OF NORWAY which was about Edvard Grieg. Both are long musicals about 19th century classical composers, both treat large swaths of their lives, and both incorporate several dance numbers set to the melodies of the composers. They are good-looking films seemingly made with adequate budgets. And despite having some fans, both were commercial bombs, both being part of that ill-fated Hollywood movement to find another musical blockbuster like THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Unlike NORWAY, this one has less pandering to a family audience, but it's not necessarily a better movie; it's not a bad movie, but it is overly long and frankly, the musical numbers, arriving every ten minutes or so, wore me out. But the clincher may be the terrible, at times unintentionally comical, sung narration, lyrics set, I'm assuming, to Strauss melodies, though I'm not sure. Horst Buchholz is on screen most of the time and he's really very good (and easy on the eyes) but the script doesn't make him a very consistent character. Mary Costa (Jetty) is an opera singer, probably best known as the voice of Disney's Sleeping Beauty. She looks the part but gives a rather bland performance, as does Rosanno Brazzi who is wasted, left mostly to look sad or mildly perturbed. The musical numbers I mentioned above are actually quite nicely done with lots of athletic leaping and swirling, but there are just too many of them. The very good choreography is by Onna White who did fine work in BYE BYE BIRDIE, THE MUSIC MAN and OLIVER! The production values are good, as is the cinematography. Despite all that, it never fully came to life for me. [TCM]