Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Unlimitedia Sick Product of a Sick System

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

jakob13 The New York Times has spoken long of Julien Duvivier. Does he deserve a retrospective? Yes, he indeed does. A good place for the English speaking world to begin is the 1938 'Great Waltz', with a grand cast of mainly European actors: Luise Reiner, Fernand Gravet, Miliza Korjus, Herman Bing, Sig Ruman, and the usual American character actors like Hugh Herbert and Leonid Kinsky and the British Lionel Atwill, who once played the lead opposite Marlene Dietrich in von Sternberg's 'The Devil is a Woman'. Is it too much to say in this sentimental, romanticized Hollywood rewriting of Strauss' life, with music and song and dancing and period costumes that it had something that we find in the UFA films Nazi Germany churned out with the likes of Zarah Leander. Grand fluff to distract the masses from the Great Depression and daily hardship and the gathering of war clouds in Asia and Europe. The year 1938 and the idealization of Vienna is an anachronism, for it was that very year that Hitler's troops annexed Austria to Germany. And the pogrom against Jews and leftists and anti Nazis began with the outcome we tragically came to know. It was Luise Reiner's first film, and she won the Oscar for best actress, which she well deserves as Poldi Strauss' wife. The contralto Korjus added great glamour and the argent clarity of her voice as the other woman. Gravat infused his Strauss with the fantasy of the musical genius he was, as the film had his inspiration say for Tales of the Vienna Woods and Blue Danube come into his mind as though they were generated spontaneously. And then Hollywood enlisted the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II to make sure our toes were tapping to the rhythm of the waltz...making everything so Gemutlich and coating the story with more sugar than necessary. Almost 78 years later, it's a grand, but silly film to watch.

parusia1936 Great movie that portrays perfectly the era of Franz Joseph I of Austria, and his revolution, although not accurately portrays the composer's biography, (Hollywood never portrays in his movies biographical their true history, altering them for economic and commercial reasons), and such is the case, nevertheless, this wonderful production of the Metro, which shine over all, erecting an actress dominant from start to finish, the great, the incomparable dramatic soprano voice Miliza Korjus, whose presence with overwhelming smile in the main figure of this unforgettable production. beside Fernand Gravey as Johann Strauss is excellent, and as his wife the unforgettable Luise Rainer of "The Good Earth" and "The Great Ziegfeld". brightly made ​​film, and with great merit Oscar winner for best picture. in my opinion is the best musical of all time. note 10 regards

blanche-2 Jules Duvivier directed this opulent, highly fictionalized musical film about Johann Strauss II. "The Great Waltz" stars Luise Rainer, Fernand Gravet and Miliza Korjus.Strauss II married several times, but none of his wives were named Poldi Vogelhube. She is most likely modeled on Strauss' third and last wife. The Carla Donner character, with whom Strauss falls in love, did not exist. Strauss did form an orchestra, however, consisting of friends at the tavern, and did play at Dommayer's Casino. He also was involved in the revolution on the side of the revolutionaries.None of these biographical facts are the point of this movie - it's about the beautiful music, the singing, and the romance. There it succeeds, and the film was an enormous success, especially in the European markets.Luise Rainer gives a lovely performance as Poldi, who faces losing her beloved husband to another woman, and Gravet is an effective Strauss. Thalberg gave the European coloratura Korjus, who plays operatic diva Carla Donner, a contract on the basis of one of her recordings. We can assume it wasn't a recording of her singing Die Fledermaus.Korjus was a good bet for Hollywood - she was beautiful, glamorous, a good actress and a good singer, with a few caveats. She had a lovely quality to her voice, glorious pianissimos, and her technique was adequate, but her coloratura high notes were straight and screechy. Her singing of Die Fledermaus toward the end of the film is massively off-pitch - it's surprising the recording was not re-done.The best scene in the film is Strauss and Donner going through the Vienna Woods and Strauss coming up with the Tale of the Vienna Woods while listening to the birds and hearing the different rhythms as they travel. A very fun scene.An incredibly expensive film with beautiful music, costumes and dancing.

Enrique Sanchez A very long time ago, I gave up on Hollywood being accurate with biographies let alone bios of composers! So, tonight I sat down to watch TCM's Guest Programmer by a REAL operatic diva, Renee Fleming first choice. I just cannot believe that I have lived 51 years and have never heard of this movie or even seen a snippet anywhere! In just the first exciting music sequence I was witnessing a miracle! I remember so well when the millennium's Moulin Rouge came out a few fuddy-duddy friends of mine called it outrageous because of its frenetic pace! (Apparently, they had never seen THIS movie which was made in 1938 not in 2001!) The frenetic pace of the SUPERLATIVE cinematography alone is worthy of one viewing of this miraculously beautiful movie! All of the principal players were just so good...sure this is an old-fashioned way of acting - so what! (I tell you, some reviewers don't have any idea about the history of acting and film by the way they so trash older movies and their "quaint" ways.) Oh yes...and the music, the music, THE MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!! What a glorious discovery! I thank Renee, Robert, TCM and Charles Nelson Reilly (wherever he is) for recommending this movie to Renee! If you don't like this - then you need medical checkup quickly!