A title card at the beginning of "The Great Waltz" claims that the movie is not meant to be a factual biopic about Johann Strauss, but is rather meant to capture the spirit of his music. Fine by me. This movie is better for not giving us a paint by numbers history lesson about the life of the famous composer.
And this movie makes mostly good on its promise, absolutely soaring at multiple times throughout, mostly when focusing on Strauss's music. The film looks gorgeous, justifying its Academy Award for Best Cinematography (which went to Joseph Ruttenberg, one of only two people -- the other being Leon Shamroy -- to win four career Oscars for cinematography).
But then the movie will pause to dwell on a dreary romantic triangle that features Luise Rainer, a good actress who's saddled with a lame role, and Miliza Korjus, an opera singer turned actress who managed to win an Oscar nomination for a not very good performance. Her singing might have been delightful by standards of the time, but it is almost literally unbearable to listen to now, and there was a moment during her incessant trilling during what otherwise was a beautiful Strauss waltz when I yelled at the television for her to shut up.
In addition to Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actress, "The Great Waltz" garnered a nomination for Best Film Editing, one of two editing nominations that year that went to Tom Held (he was also nominated for "Test Pilot"). Poor guy didn't win either of them.
Grade: B+
And this movie makes mostly good on its promise, absolutely soaring at multiple times throughout, mostly when focusing on Strauss's music. The film looks gorgeous, justifying its Academy Award for Best Cinematography (which went to Joseph Ruttenberg, one of only two people -- the other being Leon Shamroy -- to win four career Oscars for cinematography).
But then the movie will pause to dwell on a dreary romantic triangle that features Luise Rainer, a good actress who's saddled with a lame role, and Miliza Korjus, an opera singer turned actress who managed to win an Oscar nomination for a not very good performance. Her singing might have been delightful by standards of the time, but it is almost literally unbearable to listen to now, and there was a moment during her incessant trilling during what otherwise was a beautiful Strauss waltz when I yelled at the television for her to shut up.
In addition to Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actress, "The Great Waltz" garnered a nomination for Best Film Editing, one of two editing nominations that year that went to Tom Held (he was also nominated for "Test Pilot"). Poor guy didn't win either of them.
Grade: B+