This is Max Ophul's fifth film, his first major success and the first to characterise his inimitable style. The use of Mozart and Beethoven is appropriate here as this film is more classical than his later baroque masterpieces whilst the theme of love as a vicious circle is one that he was to develop to such masterly effect.
Less ironic and more romantic than Schnitzler's original, it also casts a critical eye on the military mentality and Theo's impassioned 'Any shot that is not fired in self defense is murder' would have been sure to rattle a few cages in the Germany of 1933. The director, his art designer and cinematographer have skilfully recreated Imperial Vienna and Ophuls had to wait fifteen years before revisiting the city built on the backlot of Universal for 'Letter from an unknown Woman' which holds the unique distinction of being the only film made in Hollywoodland that is completely European!
A fascinating cast includes some whose careers were to thrive under the Third Reich but whether the adherence of Wolfgang Liebeneiner and Gustaf Gruendgens in particular was genuine or based on sheer opportunism is debatable. Leibeneiner directed the notorious 'Ich Klage an', which promoted the T4 Euthanasia Programme but redeemed himself by later making 'Liebe '47' which showed how 'good people' had been conned by Nazi ideology. The life and career of the classy and mysterious Olga Tschechowa would make a film in itself!
The role of Christine had been played on stage by the superlative Paula Wessely but she was not considered photogenic enough. Ophuls has elicited a magnificent performance from the enchanting Magda Schneider whose utter desolation in her final two minute close-up is one of the most moving on film and years ahead of its time. The remake from 1960 reminds us that Romy Schneider inherited her mother's capacity to tug at the heartstrings.
Ophuls and his family had already fled Germany before the premiere in Berlin with both his name and that of Schnitzler's missing from the titles and the film was subsequently banned by the Allied Commission. Despite these setbacks its brilliance still shone through and in the director's words, " The film was born under a lucky star."
Less ironic and more romantic than Schnitzler's original, it also casts a critical eye on the military mentality and Theo's impassioned 'Any shot that is not fired in self defense is murder' would have been sure to rattle a few cages in the Germany of 1933. The director, his art designer and cinematographer have skilfully recreated Imperial Vienna and Ophuls had to wait fifteen years before revisiting the city built on the backlot of Universal for 'Letter from an unknown Woman' which holds the unique distinction of being the only film made in Hollywoodland that is completely European!
A fascinating cast includes some whose careers were to thrive under the Third Reich but whether the adherence of Wolfgang Liebeneiner and Gustaf Gruendgens in particular was genuine or based on sheer opportunism is debatable. Leibeneiner directed the notorious 'Ich Klage an', which promoted the T4 Euthanasia Programme but redeemed himself by later making 'Liebe '47' which showed how 'good people' had been conned by Nazi ideology. The life and career of the classy and mysterious Olga Tschechowa would make a film in itself!
The role of Christine had been played on stage by the superlative Paula Wessely but she was not considered photogenic enough. Ophuls has elicited a magnificent performance from the enchanting Magda Schneider whose utter desolation in her final two minute close-up is one of the most moving on film and years ahead of its time. The remake from 1960 reminds us that Romy Schneider inherited her mother's capacity to tug at the heartstrings.
Ophuls and his family had already fled Germany before the premiere in Berlin with both his name and that of Schnitzler's missing from the titles and the film was subsequently banned by the Allied Commission. Despite these setbacks its brilliance still shone through and in the director's words, " The film was born under a lucky star."