Waltzes from Vienna

Marcus Barron - Drexter
Fay Compton - The Countess
Hindle Edgar - Leopold
Sybil Grove Mme. - Fouchett
Edmund Gwenn - Strauss the Elder
Robert Hale - Ebezeder
Charles Heslop - Valet
Betty Huntley-Wright - Lady's Maid
Esmond Knight - Strauss the Younger
Jessie Matthews - Rasi
Frank Vosper - The Prince

In 1933 Hitchcock went over to Gaumont-British to direct Waltzes from Vienna. Hitchcock describes this period as "his lowest ebb," which in fact it was, displeased with his work in this film, Hitchcock at one point threw up his hands and confessed to his actors "I hate this sort of stuff. Melodrama is the only thing I can do." His last two films were poorly received and he wasn't getting any constructive criticism. He took on Waltzes just to have something to do.

It was a cheap musical without music; of course Strauss waltzes are included, as the budget couldn't afford anything else. The story concerns young Strauss, who leaves his music to join his sweetheart's father's confectionery business. A fortuitous encounter with a countess revives his dream of fame; with her encouragement he composes the "Blue Danube" waltz. There's not much more after that, which might explain why it was released in the United States as Strauss' Great Waltz.
Extract© Richard A. Harris, Michael S. Lasky: The Complete Films of Alfred Hitchcock.