Maske in Blau

Historically correct persiflage of the life "inside" the theater, behind the curtain. The impression of strangeness derives from that we are taken to the pre-television era. Played very fast, and thus very funny. Compare the introductory scene to the one of "Adventures in Babysitting." One of the better performances of Wolf Albach-Retty, who may have been more, in his time, than just Romy's father.

This films falls short of being a classic wartime musical. Clara Tabody proves to be quite apt, but - nothing more than a 'poor man's Marika Rökk'. Indeed - they are both Hungarian, they look alike, they sing and dance in a similar vein. Nevertheless, Tabody lacks the star charisma that Rökk possesses; she also doesn't get quite the same treatment as Rökk did in her best wartime musicals. Tabody sometimes comes across as a bit awkward - her dance movements, especially, are often quite embarrassing, lacking in grace and femininity. She is often weirdly overdressed, never appearing classy and elegant but rather somewhat messy. The film isn't bad, but it's far from being good. There are some sparkling musical moments - the jam sessions in the hotel courtyard (musicians playing from the hotel windows) and in the night club, and the way they slide into singing. The final 'Mexican' revue is quite well done - and quite boldly, compared to the US musicals of the era, where you had to hide the navel of a female right into the 1950s. Yet, after watching this film, you feel somewhat sorry for Tabody - she was a 'might-have-been' even before her ambition wasn't fully realized.