This German film somehow had versions made in English and in French, and is reminiscent of the Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier Paramount musicals of the early 30's. Sadly, it's like a French pastry stuffed with onion dip, pretty to look at but absolutely lifeless. Lilian Harvey plays a Russian dancer who falls in love with a soldier from Finland (Esmond Knight) which leads her to heartache and tragedy during wartime.
The pacing is slower than the entrance of a Scandanavian spring, interrupted on occasion so Harvey can do a dance or perform in a very stagnant ballet. Static photography and cliched characters, truly a difficult effort to get through, especially since stories like this had already been done, and brilliantly. At least Harvey has an easy to understand voice and photographs nicely, as well as a very funny older female companion. But it's not going to make much of an impression. A field of dandelions is more desirable than what results here.
The pacing is slower than the entrance of a Scandanavian spring, interrupted on occasion so Harvey can do a dance or perform in a very stagnant ballet. Static photography and cliched characters, truly a difficult effort to get through, especially since stories like this had already been done, and brilliantly. At least Harvey has an easy to understand voice and photographs nicely, as well as a very funny older female companion. But it's not going to make much of an impression. A field of dandelions is more desirable than what results here.