Wiener Blut

Operetta is always charming and fun, in short a pleasant diversion after a hard day. Those of Johann Strauss II (especially Die Fledermaus) are among the best of the genre, Franz Lehar and to a lesser extent Emmerich Kalman also have penned very good ones. Wiener Blut is everything that I love about operetta, while not Strauss' best it has wonderful music and a story that has its charm. And this is a truly glorious film version. Handsomely photographed with sumptuous settings and costumes, it is more than pleasing to look at. The stage direction brings out the wit and charm of Wiener Blut with considerable intelligence, like with many opera films there is a lack of spontaneity but nothing is dull and that's what matters. The music is orchestrated beautifully, with the waltz-like rhythms in particular being performed by the orchestra with a lush sound. The tempos are sprightly but with the grace and elegance you'd anticipate. The German dialogue crackles, and the performances across the board are wonderful, especially from a youthful-looking and sounding Rene Kollo and an enchanting Ingelborg Hallstein. All in all, glorious and a real delight if you love operetta. 10/10 Bethany Cox