Sinfonia d'amore

In his days as a critic Graham Greene constantly expressed dissatisfaction at the number of twee Austrian films in British cinemas. 'Blossom Time' was a British copy ironically bearing the British International logo since the director was Austrian and most of the cast German (although most of the young ladies manage to sound as if they were sent to Roedean).

The film is certainly well-mounted, with a couple of enormous interior sets - that actually manage to be larger than the exteriors - and a few attractive shots done on location; while even more was probably spent on the costumes.

Unfortunately much of the film is actually taken up with scenes of people talking and carousing, including a scene set in house of ill repute that the Hays Office can't have liked.

Interesting if slow moving film from 1934 that showcases some of the musical genius of Austrian composer Franz Schubert with some fictional scenes of romance on his part. A healthy dose of forbidden love with the girlfriend of an Austrian army officer.

I admit it took me two viewings to fully enjoy its spleandour but it is an early talkie attempt at exploring some works of a great composer that would follow in the years ahead and the evolution of cinema.

Schubert is played by Richard Tauber, a great musical actor of the period. An actor worth checking out.

All in all a watchable film that deserves viewing for its forebearing of films ahead such as The Music Lovers.

The movie is highly recommendable for those who like classical music, especially Schubert art songs. It should rank among the better movie biographies which were in vogue in the 30's to the 50's. The clichés and historical inaccuracies were kept to a minimum, and we get a large dose of glorious music.

Although I consider myself an opera fan, I had never actually heard the tenor Richard Tauber, who plays Schubert, before seeing the movie. Not only does he have a fine voice, but he is a charming actor and somehow, he does look like the historical Franz Schubert, or at least that is how they made him up in this film.

I do not know the original Sigmond Romberg music of the musical, but how can you go wrong with using authentic Schubert music?

Once again, highly worth seeing for classical music lovers, or those movie fans curious to see pre-World War II film musicals based on real characters.

For some reason,particularly in the thirties films featuring classical music were produced in some number.Often starring classical singers who would have very brief film careers.In America there was Lily Pons,Grace Moore and Laurence Tibbett.In the UK there was Richard Tauber.He had a fine voice which probably took the audiences mind off his rather chubby appearance.Watching films of this sub genre if you are not into classical music can be rather hard going.You could say of Tauber singing he is a star,acting he is not.Having said that he is better in both departments than say Nelson Eddy.The plot was pure stooge and the film moved at a snail's pace.

It's a musical tragedy, of how Schubert, played by Richard Tauber, loves his landlord's daughter, Jane Baxter. Not only does her father say no because he is a nobody, but he sees her marrying better: Count Carl Esmond, whom she loves. There are the usual complications.

Along the way, Schubert has his first concert, and of course, this being a movie, it is a smash success. that's the point of this film: Tauber singing Schubert, and he sings about half a dozen or so pieces, with a beautiful voice and great panache. His acting is not as good, of course. His training was in opera, which calls for different styles of voice, and although he moves well, there's no attempt to disguise the fact that he is a podgy, middle-aged man.

Director Paul L. Stein handles the movie with the clear-eyed nostalgia for Hapsburg Vienna, with its snobbery, social-climbing and gingerbread architecture. He knew his subject. He was born in Vienna in 1890 and made his movie debut as an actor in 1915. He was directing by 1918, in Germany by 1920, and by the end of the 1920s was in Hollywood. With the coming of sound, he made a specialty for fifteen years of operettas. He directed his last movie in 1950 and died the following year.