The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-01-17


of the famous musical romance with
not have been done without Mr.. Tai
we know little, have seen less.
In april Blossoms" we find little
plot. What there is of it is handled
adeDtly, carefully, lightly. 1t dis
solves into kind of atmosphere,
until one is only conscious of Mr..
Tauber as Franz Schubert. And so
complete a characterize Jon does
the European tenor depict that one
gets few glances into the actual
Tauber.
Tauber Sings Justify
One of these glances is afforded
when Mr.. Tauber sings. We doubt
If the bashful, somewhat morbid
Schubert would have sung his songs
as Justify as Mr.. Tauber does. This
man, the one who throws himself
SO completely into his song that he
loses sight of the fact that he
might, and does, look funny on the
screen, because of facial contortions,
tnis must be the real Tauber.
But even then, Mr.. Tauber's role
is not weakened by his own personal
ADDITION. For Schubert was a sort
OF funny little man himself. He
was comically sad, if that expression
may be accepted.
April Blossoms" presents Franz
Schubert in the tickle Vienna of the
1905, prolific composer, whose
songs were on the lips of many but
whose name was unknown to those
who sang, hummed and wnistled
his music.
Late one night he is called down
from his attic room to play for a
peculiar dancing lesson, given by
his landlord, Wimpassinger, the
dancing teacher, and his daughter,
Vicki, for handsome gentleman of
the guard. Rudi.
Waits Is Required
1t seems that Rudd arrived in vi
emma, found that he would have to
learn the new waltz before he would
make hit with the archduchess,
an eccentric lady who maintained
a regiment of dragons lcainly for
the purpose of making each MEM
Der dance with her at her balls. So
Rudi dashed off TO the dancing mas,
ter's.
AS Rudi and Vicki dance, Schu-
bert notices that they are falling
in love. He is jealous. He also
feels sorry for Vicki because he
thinks she is taking the soldiers
advances too seriously.
Schubert decides not to propose
to Vicki until after ne has made
good in public concert. The con-
cert, after much trouble, including
the fact that the guest soloist gets
sore throat and Schubert has to
sing the music himself, is a tremen-
dous success. Franz proposes to
Vicki and finds that she has given
her heart to the handsome soldier.
Salves Ruffled Temper
In order to win the archduchess
over to Vicki, so that Rudi may
marry her, Schubert writes a LAM
pooh on the duchess and finds him.
self showed into the lady's presence
to answer for the crime. There he
salves her ruffled soul by reminding
her of youthful romance she her.
self once had, and she ends up by
conserving to the marriage of a
member of her ariStocratic guard to
the daughter of a dancing master.
Schubert sings, sadly, his ave
Maria" at the wedding.
In this unpublished little picture,
you will hear Schubert melodies I'M
familiar 20 most of us. There is
RED, Red Rose" and Thine Is My
Heart" the theme song of the pic
ture, and several others. They are
all sung in an individualistic man
ner and most artistic one, by Mr..
.Tauber. ~
Most impressive to us was the
save Maria" sung with group of
choir boys at Vicki's wedding. His
garnet solo of Thine Is My Heart"
is also highl:ssstt of the picture.
OF the lest of the cast perhaps
Miss Baxter is most impressive. You
may have seen her before in pic
lures, but she is more charming
here, q sweet, lovely Vicki. Paul
Graet and Carl Esmond, as the
dancing master and Rudi, the
guardsman, are not too convincing.
and there are other faults among
the cast.
But like "Scrooge," this British
production has its points, and they
are points which American film pro-
i,fcprc would in uolI IN ror,x, II
has captured an atmosphere, sort
of Schubertian fragrance by gloss
ing over the story, and pinning the
Characterization onto the central
figure, Franz. He is about all that
remains when it is all over.
We hope to see and hear more
from Mr.. Tauber and Miss Baxter.