Immortal Waltz

{{Short description|1939 film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox film |name = Immortal Waltz |image = Immortal Waltz.jpg |caption = German film poster |native_name = {{Infobox name module|de|Unsterblicher Walzer}} |director = [[E. W. Emo]] |producer = E. W. Emo |writer = Karl Köstlin<br>Friedrich Schreyvogel |starring = {{ubl|[[Paul Hörbiger]]|[[Dagny Servaes]]|[[Maria Andergast]]|[[Friedl Czepa]]}} |music = [[Alois Melichar]] |cinematography = [[Hans Schneeberger]] |studio = [[Wien-Film]]<br>[[Tobis Film]] |distributor = Tobis Film |released = {{Film date|1939|8|24|df=yes}} |runtime = 96 minutes |country = Germany |language = German }} '''''Immortal Waltz''''' ({{Langx|de|'''Unsterblicher Walzer'''}}) is a 1939 [[historical drama]] film directed by [[E. W. Emo]] and starring [[Paul Hörbiger]], [[Dagny Servaes]], and [[Maria Andergast]].

It was shot at the [[Rosenhügel Studios]] in [[Vienna]]. The film's [[art direction]] was by [[Julius von Borsody]]. The film portrays the lives of the Austrian composer [[Johann Strauss I]] and his family.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hake|first=Sabine|title=Popular Cinema of the Third Reich|publisher=[[University of Texas Press]]|location=Austin, TX|year=2001|page=152|doi=10.7560/734579|isbn=0292734581|jstor=10.7560/734579}}</ref> The film was made by [[Wien-Film]], a Vienna-based company set up after Austria had been incorporated into [[Greater Germanic Reich|Greater Germany]] following the 1938 [[Anschluss]].

==Plot== [[Johann Strauss I]] is firmly established as the leader of a dance orchestra in [[Vienna]] in the 1840s. While his sons [[Johann Strauss II]] and Josef have inherited their father's talent, he is strictly opposed to them being trained as [[composer]]s by concertmaster Amon, a good friend of his. Johann II and Josef attend the [[TU Wien|Vienna Polytechnic]] under paternal pressure, but Johann junior soon drops out, causing a rift with his father. Johann Strauss junior then goes his own way and breaks off contact with his family. A few years later, he has finally made it and is celebrated as the new king of [[waltz]]. Father Johann secretly takes pride in his highly talented son's accomplishment. But then, at the age of only 44, Johann falls seriously ill with [[scarlet fever]] and dies, without having spoken to his son again.

Meanwhile, Josef has finished his studies at the Polytechnic and works as an engineer. He still loves music and spends every free minute composing. Although his father has since died, Josef, unlike his brother Johann, does not dare to rebel against his father's wish. When Johann junior learns of his brother's emotional dilemma, 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 finally commits himself to music and abandons his engineering career.

Johann is in such great demand that he asks Josef to stand in for him on another occasion. Meanwhile, the youngest of the three brothers, [[Eduard Strauss]], has grown up and also shows promise as a composer. However, he and Joseph are under the shadow of their much more famous brother, much to their chagrin. Eventually, it is old Amon who creates a group, called "Strauss", in which the three Strauss brothers jointly perform and inspire the masses with their waltz music.

==Cast== {{Cast listing| *[[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 (actor)|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 [[Tobias Haslinger|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== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|0032083}}

[[Category:Films of Nazi Germany]] [[Category:German biographical films]] [[Category:1939 biographical films]] [[Category:Films directed by E. W. Emo]] [[Category:Films set in the 19th century]] [[Category:Films set in Vienna]] [[Category:Films about classical music and musicians]] [[Category:Films about composers]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Johann Strauss I]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Johann Strauss II]] [[Category:Tobis Film films]] [[Category:1930s historical musical films]] [[Category:German historical musical films]] [[Category:German black-and-white films]] [[Category:Films set in the Austrian Empire]] [[Category:Films set in Austria-Hungary]] [[Category:Films shot at Rosenhügel Studios]] [[Category:1939 German films]] [[Category:1939 German-language films]] [[Category:Films scored by Alois Melichar]]