A brash American gramophone salesman tries to get Emperor Franz Joseph's endorsement in turn-of-the-century Austria.A brash American gramophone salesman tries to get Emperor Franz Joseph's endorsement in turn-of-the-century Austria.A brash American gramophone salesman tries to get Emperor Franz Joseph's endorsement in turn-of-the-century Austria.
- Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 3 nominations total
Harry Allen
- Gamekeeper
- (uncredited)
Gene Ashley
- Tyrolean Man
- (uncredited)
Franco Corsaro
- Spanish Marques
- (uncredited)
Paul De Corday
- Hungarian Officer
- (uncredited)
Cyril Delevanti
- Diplomat
- (uncredited)
Doris Dowling
- Tyrolean Girl
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBilly Wilder began shooting this film in 1946, soon after winning an Oscar for The Lost Weekend (1945). That film's great critical reception (and unexpected box-office success) gave Wilder more power and he spent a lot of time and money on this musical (which was his first color film). He was very dissatisfied with the result, however, and the release of the film was extensively delayed, perhaps for re-takes--Wilder liked to say he was hoping to delay its release as long as possible. It opened in Britain a month before its American debut, most unusually, and was a critical and box-office flop. In 1969, he told an interviewer, "I never want to see it again". His next film, A Foreign Affair (1948), opened in America only three months later.
- Quotes
Princess Bitotska: The Lafuentes have more of everything. In fact, most of their children were born with eleven fingers.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Saturday Night Live: Melanie Griffith/Little Feat (1988)
Featured review
In Austria, the American traveling salesman Virgil Smith (Bing Crosby) arrives in the palace of Emperor Franz-Joseph I (Richard Haydn) with his mongrel dog Button expecting to sell one gramophone to him to promote his sales in the country. However, the guards believe he has a time-bomb and he does not succeed in his intent. When the dog Sheherazade of the widowed Countess Johanna Franziska von Stolzenberg-Stolzenberg (Joan Fontaine) bites Button, Virgil visits her and sooner he falls in love for Johanna and Button for Sheherazade that is promised to breed with the Emperor's dog. When Virgil asks permission to marry Johanna to the Emperor, the nobleman exposes to the salesman that their difference of social classes would doom their marriage and offers a business to Virgil.
"The Emperor Waltz" is a delightful and naive romance of Billy Wilder, with parallel human and canine love stories like the dogs were the alter-egos of their owners. The art direction and the set decoration are amazing, and the scene of the ball is awesome. Joan Fontaine is extremely beautiful and shows a great chemistry with Bing Crosby, but the dog Button steals the movie and is responsible for the funniest moments. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "A Valsa do Imperador" ("The Emperor Waltz")
"The Emperor Waltz" is a delightful and naive romance of Billy Wilder, with parallel human and canine love stories like the dogs were the alter-egos of their owners. The art direction and the set decoration are amazing, and the scene of the ball is awesome. Joan Fontaine is extremely beautiful and shows a great chemistry with Bing Crosby, but the dog Button steals the movie and is responsible for the funniest moments. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "A Valsa do Imperador" ("The Emperor Waltz")
- claudio_carvalho
- Jan 30, 2010
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Ich küsse Ihre Hand, Madame
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $4,070,248 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 46 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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