Customer Reviews

The Emperor Waltz [VHS]

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This is a great movie for husbands and wives to enjoy together. Bing is an American phonograph salesman who takes on the Austrian aristocracy with humor, charm and the character that is only Bing Crosby on the screen. Sets and costumes are also well done. It's a 40's musical that's light and melodious. So make some popcorn, sit down with someone you love and just enjoy the music and fun of it. Bing at least seems to be having a good time doing it.

Far from being the dog of a movie which some critics assert, Billy Wilder's indulgence in Tyrolean kitsch has enhanced entertainment value today, though made 40 years ago. Bing Crosby and Joan Fontaine do, however, co-star with two dogs. The canine dalliance parallels that of their owners. Bing, in adversarial mode, engages with royalty in class-ridden old Vienna, an uppity phonograph salesman determined to sell virtual Strauss on disc to the aristocracy. A tense drama develops around the illicit love affair between Bing's mongrel pooch (aka HMV icon) and the pedigree poodle bitch belonging to Joan, who plays an Austrian Countess. Bing excels as the egalitarian common man, confirming his unacknowledged status as movie's first anti-hero (pre-dating Bogart). Joan convincingly modulates from aloof to alluring. The Emperor gets deeply involved, but don't worry. Bing DOES rescue the mongrel litter and (being himself an Irish-American mongrel) also wins the pedigree girl. Along the way he does some yodelling and also sings. This movie has a strong political message!

I have searched for a very long time for two songs recorded by Bing Crosby. Those songs {I found out} were in the film "The Emperor Waltz".
Thanks to Amazon I not only heard the songs but saw a cracking good film as well. I recommend the film to those who like some escapism and the fantastic voice of Mr. Bing Crosby.

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). And 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