Congress is enjoying itself
The Congress is having fun is a 1965 color and costume film with Lilli Palmer and Curd Jürgens in the leading roles.
action
The film begins differently than the two previous adaptations. A group of tourists in contemporary Vienna in 1965 (when this film was shot) visits the wax museum there and stops in front of the figure of Prince Metternich . Suddenly they are catapulted back a century and a half and land in 1815, at the time of the Congress of Vienna .
There Metternich tries to restore the European equilibrium as a result of the Napoleonic Wars of Conquest. The Corsican emperor was defeated (for the time being) and banished to the island of Elba . But the emissaries from all over Europe are concerned with their private escapades much more than the great world politics. Metternich had his lover Rosa escorted to Prague by the robber captain Grasl so as not to offer his political opponents from home or abroad any target. Rosa does not want to be deported to the provinces and therefore asks her childhood friend, Baron Stefan, to take her back to Vienna.
In the background discussions and at the negotiating table of the conference participants, there is a tough fight about how to deal with France. Minister of State Talleyrand proves to be a skilful representative of the interests of his country and knows how to prevent the unity of the European victorious powers at the expense of France. The appearance of a false Napoleon causes further unrest. Tsar Alexander, on the other hand, prefers to watch the beautiful women rather than deal with high politics, and falls asleep after his drinking bouts and many a nightly love affair during the deliberations.
Metternich's right-hand man, Friedrich von Gentz , is to bring the Polish Countess Kopinskaja to the Russian ruler on behalf of his master, so that she can listen to the Tsar for Metternich about his negotiating tactics and plans. In addition, she should influence Alexander in favor of the solution of the "Polish question". But Alexander rather shows interest in little Anni, a hearty Viennese girl. Finally, Metternich's wife also intervenes in the event. She saves Baron Stefan from the clutches of justice. Because the baron is to be brought to justice because he was caught trying to bring Napoleon's wife Marie-Louise and her son to Napoleon in Elba.
Soon the waves will smooth out. Hearts come together and the Congress seems to dissolve into favor. Even Tsar Alexander dares to do the unheard of: he and Anni publicly dance a Viennese waltz that was previously frowned upon . Then the assembly receives terrible news: Napoleon has fled and landed in the south of France!
production
The film had its world premiere on March 18, 1966. The Congress is having fun is the third film adaptation of the film The Congress is dancing . Previous films were made in 1931 and 1955 . This slightly modified version was based on a template by Hans Habe .
The respectable film career of the Hungarian director Géza von Radványi largely ended with The Congress is having fun . Shortly after each other, he had completed two German-dominated, international coproductions with a permanent team. Immediately before the congress , Radvanyi and his producers Aldo von Pinelli and Georg M. Reuther realized another large-scale production, Uncle Toms Hütte, with screenwriter Fred Denger and cameraman Heinz Hölscher .
The married couple Herta Hareiter and Otto Pischinger designed the extensive film structures, the costumes come from Hill Reihs-Gromes . The magnificent halls seen in the film are part of the Vienna Hofburg .
The operetta music by Johann Strauss was conducted by Robert Stolz . Also proudly contributed the songs Mei Glaserl hat ein Loch and Say yes .
The film was made in Superpanorama 70 (2.20: 1) format.
criticism
The film's large personal lexicon called the film: "a piece of glamorous costume cinema."
The lexicon of the international film judged: "Great entertainment, little amusement."
The Cinema's website judges: "Pleasant, colorful and also a bit dusty."
The Protestant Film Observer found: “Clichéd presentation of the story and the little scandals surrounding the Congress of Vienna in 1814/15. A bumbling reworking of the old operetta film "The Congress Dances". Average entertainment of the usual kind. From 16, but without recommendation. "
Web links
- The Congress has fun in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The congress is having fun at filmportal.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kay Less : The film's great personal dictionary . The actors, directors, cameramen, producers, composers, screenwriters, film architects, outfitters, costume designers, editors, sound engineers, make-up artists and special effects designers of the 20th century. Volume 6: N - R. Mary Nolan - Meg Ryan. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-340-3 , p. 387.
- ^ Klaus Brüne (Red.): Lexikon des Internationale Films Volume 4, p. 2074. Reinbek near Hamburg 1987.
- ↑ The congress is having fun in cinema.de
- ↑ Evangelischer Presseverband München, Review No. 114/1966, p. 234