I was surprised to find this film and had no idea that Alfred Hitchcock directed it. It is an oddity and I guess he took this one 'for the money' which had had the right to do.

I enjoyed it and the film plays perfectly when you convert the .mp4 to an .avi. Always nice to find something new!

discarded alternate titles:

1. The Man Who Waltzed Too Much
2. The 3/4 Steps
3. The Lady Waltzes
4. Mr. & Mrs. Strauss
5. Shadow of a Dress
6. Waltzbound
7. Under Chandeliers
8. Waltz Fright
9. Strangers In A Waltz
10. I Convulse
11. Dial W for Waltz
12. Rear Bustle
13. To Catch A Waltz
14. The Trouble With Johann
15. The Wrong Strauss
16. Waltz-to-go
17. North By Northwaltz
18. Johann Strauss Presents

My suspicions were confirmed, there are no bad Jessie Matthews films. I have tried for years to think of her counterpart in American movies but cannot come up with any candidates. Mr. Hitchcock did some interesting cutting in here, no match for Lubitsch or Mamoulian but enjoyable nonetheless.

If you're looking for a traditional Hitchcock-type film, this won't be to your taste.

On the other hand, if what you are looking for a plain old good movie, you've found it. It's not spectacular or anything, just solid.

I liked it because the story progressed at a good pace, and it was interesting enough. Besides I love old period pieces, especially the clothes and things and I sure wish this one had been in color! I wouldn't say I especially liked any of the characters but the acting was passable, and tell me the Baker's daughter doesn't look an awful lot like a super young Shelley Duvall.

I don't know that I'd ever watch it again, but I am glad that I watched it once.

In 1934, Hitchcock was between projects. Actually, he was practically unable to get ANY film work. He'd done a string of films that few people remember today and grabbed at the chance to do ANYTHING. Like this; an imaginary look at the trials of Johann Strauss II to escape his father's shadow in order to become Vienna's Waltz King. Toss in a baker's daughter and a scheming countess and you have all the makings of a justifiably forgotten film. It's not as terrible as Hitchcock later made it out to be(He spoke of it in later years the way a respected actor does when explaining doing soft-core porn to pay the rent). It's well-produced, has a top-notch cast (Jessie Matthews!) but c'mon! Hitchcock telling the story of the premiere of The Blue Danube waltz? There are a few Hitchcock moments but virtually no room for a REAL Hitchcock film. It's very watchable and it kept Hitchcock in motion; his next film assignment was "The Man Who Knew Too Much."