Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court/The Emporer Waltz DVD

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Though the Mark Twain original has been refashioned into a Bing Crosby vehicle, this 1949 musical adaptation of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a lot more faithful to the Twain original than either of the two previous film versions. Crosby plays Hank Martin, a turn-of-the-century American mechanic who is conked on the noggin and awakens in sixth-century England. Captured by dull-witted Sir Sagramore (William Bendix), Hank is marched into the court of King Arthur (Cedric Hardwicke), where he uses his machine-age ingenuity to win the title of "Sir Boss." Even while incurring the wrath of the duplicitous wizard Merlin (Murvyn Vye), Hank woos and wins the lovely lady-in-waiting Alisande (Rhonda Fleming). Shocked by the appalling living conditions of the British peasants, Hank insists that King Arthur travel amongst the people in disguise so that he can experience their misery first-hand, and thereby bring about social reforms. Merlin schemes to use this opportunity to overthrow the king, but Hank foils the wizard's plans by pretending to demonstrate magical powers during a total eclipse. As a last-ditch effort to rid the kingdom of Hank, Merlin kidnaps Alisande and lures "Sir Boss" to certain doom. This scurrilous scheme segues into a much happier ending than one will find in the Twain novel. The expected "time displacement" routines are freshly handled by Crosby and company, while the songs are melodious and perfectly suited to the situations at hand. The film's Technicolor photography is another major asset. By present-day standards, the only drawback to A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is that it goes on too long; even so, it is infinitely preferable to the recent remakes that have spewed forth from the Disney studio. Songs include: "Twixt Myself and Me," "Busy Doing Nothing," "Once and for Always", "When is Sometime," and "If You Stub Your Toe on the Moon." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Emperor Waltz
Set in pre-World War I Austria, this relatively sweet and cheerful film marks writer/director Billy Wilder's first and last try at musical comedy. Bing Crosby is Virgil H. Smith, a New Jersey-born phonograph salesman with a fox terrier mutt and orders to sell record players in Austria. Joan Fontaine is Johanna Augusta Franziska von Stoltzenberg-Stolzenberg, a countess with a bankrupt father and a black pedigree poodle that has just been picked to breed with the Austrian Emperor's (Richard Haydn) beloved black dog. Virgil and his fox terrier must convince the Emperor to buy a record player so that the product will gain favor amongst the Austrian people. Johanna must persuade her black poodle to mate with the Emperor's royal dog in order to ameliorate her father's financial woes. Virgil and Johanna have a love affair that overcomes class differences, opens up the phonograph market in Austria, and leaves the Emperor satisfied with a beautiful set of fox terrier puppies that could never have been the offspring of his own royal dog. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, All Movie Guide

Cast Bing Crosby as Hank Martin Rhonda Fleming as Alisande La Carteloise Cedric Hardwicke as King Arthur William Bendix as Sir Sagramore Henry Wilcoxon as Sir Lancelot Murvyn Vye as Merlin Virginia Field as Morgan Le Fay Joseph Vitale as Sir Logris Richard Webb as Sir Galahad Alan Napier as High executioner Julia Faye as Lady Penelope Mary Field as Peasant woman Ann Carter as Peasant girl Bing Crosby as Virgil Smith Joan Fontaine as Johanna Franziska Von Stultzenberg Roland Culver as Baron Holenia Lucile Watson as Princess Richard Haydn as Emperor Franz Josef Sig Rumann as Dr. Zwieback Harold Vermilyea as Chamberlain Julia Dean as Archduchess Stephanie Alma Macrorie as Proprietor of Tyrolean Inn Roberta Jonay as Chambermaid

Crew Franz Bachelin - Art Director Hans Dreier - Art Director Billy Daniels - Choreography Gile Steele - Costume Designer Edith Head - Costume Designer Charles C. Coleman, Jr. - First Assistant Director Billy Wilder - Director Doane Harrison - Editor Johnny Burke - Composer (Music Score) Victor Young - Composer (Music Score) George Barnes - Cinematographer Charles Brackett - Producer Sam Comer - Set Designer Paul Huldschinsky - Set Designer Gordon Jennings - Special Effects Charles Brackett - Screenwriter Billy Wilder - Screenwriter Franz Bachelin - Art Director Hans Dreier - Art Director Billy Daniels - Choreography Gile Steele - Costume Designer Edith Head - Costume Designer Charles C. Coleman, Jr. - First Assistant Director Billy Wilder - Director Doane Harrison - Editor Johnny Burke - Composer (Music Score) Victor Young - Composer (Music Score) George Barnes - Cinematographer Charles Brackett - Producer Sam Comer - Set Designer Paul Huldschinsky - Set Designer Gordon Jennings - Special Effects Charles Brackett - Screenwriter Billy Wilder - Screenwriter

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a pleasing, engaging adaptation of the Mark Twain original, even if shaping it into a Bing Crosby vehicle was not the wisest idea in the world. Not that Crosby is bad, mind you; the old crooner was always an amiable presence onscreen, the kind of actor whom it was fun to spend time with, and that certainly is the case here. The problem is that he's a trifle too laid-back for the character and situation; he fits so easily into the proceedings that the "fish out of water" theme of the piece doesn't really ring true. As a result, despite a few plot trappings thrown in which could easily have been changed, there seems little reason for this to have been a time-travel film, rather than a straight period piece. Things are not helped by the bland Jimmy Van Heusen-Johnny Burke score, the kind of songs that are so characterless that they could have been shoved into just about any musical and been equally effective. These flaws fortunately don't matter much; the assets -- Crosby's charm, Rhonda Fleming's beauty, William Bendix's comedy, Tay Garnett's smooth direction, and a sumptuous physical production -- combine to make Yankee into a fine entertainment. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
 

The Emperor Waltz
(not reviewed)
 

Disc Title: The Emperor Waltz - People Awards: Edith Head: Academy, Best Color Costume Design (nominated) Gile Steele: Academy, Best Color Costume Design (nominated) Victor Young: Academy, Best Musical Score (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD1: Dolby Digital Mono Additional Features: none specified DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 2 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 214 min Part of Series: The Bing Crosby Collection   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court 1. Main Titles 2. Pendragon Castle 3. Hank Martin 4. If You Stub Your Toe on the Moon 5. Back in Time 6. When Is Sometime? 7. Monster or Wizard 8. Sir Boss 9. Making Music 10. Once and for Always 11. The Blacksmith 12. Sir Lancelot 13. The Joust 14. Making a Pistol 15. Incognito 16. Busy Doing Nothing 17. Trouble 18. Once and for Always Reprise 19. A Miracle 20. The Tale's End Side #2 -- The Emperor Waltz 1. Main Titles [1:37] 2. The Emperor's Clambake [4:01] 3. The Traveling Salesman [3:56] 4. Sheherazade's Paw [3:26] 5. The "Assassin" [7:29] 6. Dog Damages [6:11] 7. Friendly Mountains [5:20] 8. The Tradesman Presumes [4:34] 9. Sheherazade's Breakdown [4:04] 10. The Cure [4:49] 11. I Kiss Your Hand, Madame [7:36] 12. Music for the Hunt [9:59] 13. The Runaway [9:04] 14. The Kiss in Your Eyes [3:03] 15. Lower Class Love [4:21] 16. The Emperor's Proposition [11:17] 17. Trouble With Buttons [4:41] 18. Sheherazade's Scandal [5:51] 19. One Chance in a Million [3:20] 20. The Emperor Waltz [1:24]