Though made in Germany, this film version of Johann Strauss’ comic opera Die Fledermaus was distributed in the U.S. by the Russian firm of Artkino. Such full-throated singing personalities as Marte Harell, Johannes Heesters, Willi Dohm and Haus Brauseweiter go through the time-honored paces of the opera’s libretto, wherein an upper-class Viennese gentleman simultaneously tries to avoid arrest and to prove his wife’s fidelity.
The romantic and professional life of composer Johann Strauss Jr. provides the basis of this colorful remake of the 1938 version.
The rise and fall of a popular entertainer provides the basis of this musical drama. Harry Raymond begins his career with nothing but his ambition, his talent and the support of friends and loved ones. Eventually he hits the big time and becomes a star. Unfortunately with stardom comes arrogance and selfishness and he disdains his lowly but loyal lover and pals to hang out with the upper crust.
Legendary composer Victor Herbert finds himself in the middle of a conflict between tenor John Ramsey and Ramsey’s wife, singer Louise Hall. As the couple’s marriage deteriorates, it’s revealed that Louise ventured to New York from a small town, met John and married him. John promotes his wife’s career until her fame far surpasses his own. The conflicts that erupt between the couple reflect the content of many of Herbert’s operas.
When the showboat hits town, two men use the parade as a distraction to rob the bank. Their accomplice is Pop, the clown from the showboat. He leaves the money on the boat and tells his daughter Patsy to bring it to him at a later stop on the river. When Patsy arrives without the money, both her and her father are made prisoners. So she sends her trained dog back to the showboat for help.
In 1937 Shanghai, a soon-to-depart soldier meets a young woman under a bridge during a Japanese air raid. They vow to meet after the war ends, but they don’t each other’s name or face. Ten years later, the young woman, a nightclub singer, takes in a naive girl fresh from the country. The country girl falls in love with the would-be song-writer upstairs who, unbeknownst to the singer, is none other than the soldier from the bridge.
During the Nazi occupation of France, a British spy goes deep undercover to rescue an important atomic scientist from a concentration camp. He is assisted by a group of loyal stage performers who are willing to lay down their lives to thwart the enemy.
