THE GREAT WALTZ
US, 1972, 135 minutes, Colour.
Horst Buchholz, Mary Costa, Nigel Patrick, Yvonne Mitchell, Rossano Brazzi, James Falconer.
Directed by Andrew L. Stone.
The Great Waltz is a remake of Julian Duvivier’s classic 1938 film about the Strauss family. It featured a great deal of the Strauss music, the music of father and son.
This is a more Reader’s Digest, chocolate box version of the same story – designed for the most popular kind of audience who had enjoyed The Sound of Music and Andrew L. Stone’s film about Grieg, Song of Norway.
German actor Horst Buchholz (a popular actor over many decades from The Magnificent Seven to Life is Beautiful) is Strauss Junior, Nigel Patrick is Strauss Senior. Yvonne Mitchell is Anna Strauss.
This is the kind of film that critics abhor – considering it too lightweight, too sentimental, too pretty-pretty. However, it gives audiences a chance to learn something about the life of the Strausses – very sanitised, of course, and to hear their popular music.
1. Enjoyment value of this film? Strauss, music, 19th century settings, Austria?
2. The film's use of colour, Panavision, Austria, 19th century nets and costumes, the Viennese atmosphere, pageantry? Important for communicating Strauss and the music?
3. Audience response to the sung commentary, the voice of Kenneth Mac Kellar, the lyrics? Many critics wore exceedingly satirical. Was this justified? The contribution to the narrative, communication about the Strausses?
4. The initial focus on Johann Strauss Senior: his personality, the clashes, the gradual introduction to Johann Strauss Junior? The interests of this structure, for the understanding of character, the development of their music?
5. How attractive van the music, the manner of its being played, the world in which it was created, the way it vas visualized? The importance of waltzes and marches in the empire of the 19th century?
6. How well drawn was the character of Johann Senior? A type? The strengths and weaknesses of his character, his ability an a composer, conductor? His relationship with his wife and hostility? With his son and rivalry? Relationship with his mistress? Comment on the general exhibition kind of treatment of serious relationships and strange relationships?
7. The portrayal of Strauss's wife, her long-suffering attitudes, her ambitions for her son, her disgust at her husband? The contrast of the scenes with his mistress? Her character, support, clashes?
8. The importance of the rivalry with his son? Comment on the way that this was visualized, musical clashes? The satiric tone? The humorous and pompous rivalry?
9. How well drawn was the character of Johann Jnr: how much like his father were his abilities an a composer, conductor, his career? On the personal level and the fickleness of his relationships?
10. The character of Jetty: an the Baron's mistress, the gradual love for Strauss, for her son? The growth in love, the quality of the marriage, her inspiration and promoting his career? A credible character? Her own musical career?
11. The character of the Baron, of Josef? Interesting characters? As throwing light on the career of the Strausses?
12. What was Johann Strauss's achievement in the musical world? Was this film an adequate tribute to it?
13. How important wore the musical sequences? What did they contribute to the tribute to Strauss?
14. The film received extremely hostile criticism, criticized as big and bad and ludicrous. Were those criticisms just? What insight did the film offer into the lives of the composers? Musical genius, achievement? Nevertheless, would the average audience enjoy this kind of film?
