Customer Reviews

A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court/The Emperor Waltz - Double Feature

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a movie that comes by only a few times. It combines just about everything a classic movie watcher would want.
a. A great story by the master american writer, Mark Twain.
b. A great musical score in the classic music era of hollywood.
c. A great cast led by Bing Crosby.

This movie is a must for anyone who loves Mark Twain, Bing Crosby, a good musical, and good family fun.

...you'd think this would be a winner -- Bing Crosby at the height of his film popularity, Billy Wilder as director, and the lush scenery of Canada's Japser National Park. However, despite the truly beautiful restoration by Universal, this is a yawn...and I'm a bit of a Crosby fan. Here, Bing plays a phonograph salesman trying to sell his wares to Austrian royalty. He falls in love with Joan Fontaine, a countess, while his dog falls in love with her dog, who is supposed to mate with the Emperor's dog. The scenery is just beautiful. The script is ho hum. I sat thinking how could this be Billy Wilder??? Well, I guess the concept is rather anti-class system, so perhaps that's what attracted Wilder. Aside from that, it's fluff...albeit pleasant fluff.

On the other hand, "A Connecticutt Yankee In King Arthur's Court" is much nicer. A nice turn on the old story, with a hoot of a supporting performance by William Bendix ("Life Of Riley"). Crosby is in fine voice and this film has a bit of a heart to it. A nice diversion with Crosby in his cinematic heydey.

One of the cutist movies ever made. It's a feel good movie. The theme is delightful and Bing Crosby sings some really exceptional songs that add to the fun and gayety of the film. It captures attention from start to finish. They really don't make movies like this one anymore. I purchased this on VHS some time ago and had to have it on DVD since it is full screen and safe to view on standard picture tubes.

The Emperor Waltz has the unenviable reputation of being regarded as Billy Wilder's worst film, and while it certainly isn't good, it isn't THAT bad. Unfortunately the script is rarely very witty despite the Wilder-Charles Brackett pedigree and Bing Crosby and an unflatteringly photographed Joan Fontaine have almost zero screen chemistry, their hatred for much of the movie far more convincing than their inevitable romance. The real triumphs of this Viennese romance between a travelling salesman and an aristocrat are the lavish production design and the gorgeous Technicolor photography that are occasionally impressive enough to take your mind off what's happening in the paper-thin story. Still, the dancing chauffeur is fun.

More successful by far is A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. It's not a particularly good picture anymore than it's a particularly bad one: it's lavishly staged in Technicolor with a decent cast and inoffensive but, with one exception, unmemorable songs. But it does have one of cinema's great moments of delight, as Bing, William Bendix (one of film noir's greatest thugs here cast in a very different guise as a blustering knight) and Sir Cedric Hardwicke's elderly King Arthur join forces for the delightful 'Busy Doing Nothing' - which is more than worth the price on its own.

The two films are gorgeously restored, boasting great color and definition, though the only extra is the original trailer for Yankee.

The adaptation of Mark Twain's book "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" to the screen left in the fun parts of the story and took out all the point of the book. The book contains many lessons and thoughts that did not make it into the movie; one of the subjects is that the amount of money you make is only relevant to the price of a loaf of bread. However the movie is fun to watch and can be quite funny.

An auto mechanic and inventor Hank (Bing Crosby) is transported back to A.D. 528 with his almanac. After realizing where he is, he uses his wits and knowledge of the future to survive. He has many adventures. He helps a King (Cedric Hardwicke) to understand his people, overcomes a tyrant and finds a loyal friend (William Bendix). Naturally being Bing there is music and incantations to blot out the sun. Eventually there is true love Alisande (Rhonda Fleming). The movie leaves the questions: Will Hank settles down with his love or will he be dispatched with one of his own inventions?

Attached to this film is a second "the Emperor Waltz"
Another Billy Wilder film

Sort of Bing Crosby formula film. Acted with Bing Crosby, Joan Fontaine, Roland Culver, Lucile Watson, Richard Haydn, and Sig Ruman. Filming Location is Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Virgil Smith (Bing Crosby), traveling gramophone salesman has a special customer in mind, Emperor Franz Joseph (Richard Haydn). On the way, his purpose is mistaken, correcting that he has a politically improper love interest with Austrian Countess Johanna Augusta Franziska (Joan Fontaine). In addition, they both fall in love with a little fuzzy pooch. Who gets the girl? Who gets the pooch? Who knew the plot before it even started

I bought this movie because I wanted to see A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. I hadn't seen it since I was a boy and I remembered really enjoying it. But I had never seen The Emperor Waltz. Both movies are classic Bing movies, where he is the Sauvé ladies man who sings his way into girls' hearts, but I actually found myself enjoying The Emperor Waltz better than Yankee. It wasn't nearly as silly as Yankee and it was quite romantic. If you like Bing movies I'd definitely give these a try.

This movie "A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court"(1949) takes an amazing book by Samuel Clemens and mixes in Bing Crosby's soothing baritone and style, Rhonda Flemming's... everything, and William Bendix's comedy to create a mood that you just can't shake even hours after the movie is over. Despite some of the musical style being a bit dated and one song in particular (I won't mention which one) that could have been removed from the movie, it couldn't spoil the atmosphere created.

Based on Clemens book that was published in 1989, the main character, Hank Martin was moved up in time to a date of 1910 with the on-onslaught of the horseless carriage. This didn't spoil the story, but enhanced the separation of the times presented. The comedy was well played and set a model that other writers use today. The 'special' effects were kept to a minimum and the story was focused on. Unlike the later productions put out by others including Disney, it can stand on its own as a classic.

Overall, as I love time travel stories, I found this one to be more entertaining than appealing to my science/fiction inner geek. Of the set, this one was the better movie and has kept in the back of my mind since I saw it as a kid in the 60's.

"The Emperor Waltz" (1948) was a nice re-introduction to the Bing Crosby personality. The role of Virgil Smith was almost written just for Bing. The overall story was shortened to fit within the time constraints. This made one scene a bit cramped as Joan Fontaine's character, Johanna Augusta Franziska who was very aloof and cold, suddenly melts away in a matter of 30 seconds. If sources are correct, Bing was very heavy-handed in the production of this movie. While it is evident where and how it was manipulated, the humorisk style of Crosby will win out.

If allowed to rate separate, "The Emperor Waltz" would have only rated 3 stars. It brought down "A Connecticut Yankee..." from 5 stars.

Although both films were entertaining of the two I enjoyed Connecticut Yankee more. The transfer was clear with good color.
Would have been a better combo with Road To Bali but you have no choice. Amazon delivery was on time. C6

"Connecticut Yankee" is one of my favorite films: it's a pity that the transfer is of such poor quality.

I also find it curious that it has to be bundled with another film. Is "Connecticut Yankee" not enough by itself? I honestly have no interest in the other film.

Plus, although the film is a must have, it's a bit pricey at $12.99.

I loved this film when I was a kid but sad to say it has dated and I have grown older. The DVD got stuck in one spot, at the jousting tournament and skipped a fair bit of the action.
Lyndel