The history of the Vienna Opernball goes back to the Vienna congress in 1815, and continues until today, where it is the most prestigious social event in Vienna (on the last Thursday in carnival), with correspondingly high admission prices, and live broadcast in Austrian TV.
This 1939 movie presents us with three married couples, and a few other players, who from different motives create a grand confusion on the background of the Opernball, apparently around 1900, judging by the car seen in one scene. It is not quite believable to me that women wearing a little mask over the eyes would not be recognized by close friends, but well, suspend disbelief.
The plot is elaborately constructed and executed at fairly fast pace. Hans Moser playing a resourceful head waiter appears only in the second half, but has several nice scenes then.
A remake in color was produced in 1956, where Moser and Theo Lingen re-acted their roles from this one, but I can't compare the two, not having seen the latter.
This 1939 movie presents us with three married couples, and a few other players, who from different motives create a grand confusion on the background of the Opernball, apparently around 1900, judging by the car seen in one scene. It is not quite believable to me that women wearing a little mask over the eyes would not be recognized by close friends, but well, suspend disbelief.
The plot is elaborately constructed and executed at fairly fast pace. Hans Moser playing a resourceful head waiter appears only in the second half, but has several nice scenes then.
A remake in color was produced in 1956, where Moser and Theo Lingen re-acted their roles from this one, but I can't compare the two, not having seen the latter.