Oh… Rosalinda! Review: At one point during the 1990 romantic comedy classic PRETTY WOMAN , Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) explains to Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) the significance of a first visit to the opera.
“If they love it, they will always love it. If they don’t, they may learn to appreciate it, but it will never become part of their soul.”
Your acceptance and appreciation of opera may come to the fore if you decide to view the Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger production OH…ROSALINDA!, their 1955 adaptation of Johann Strauss’ opera DIE FLEDERMAUS.
A bit of prior knowledge of the source material (itself adapted from an 1851 farce Das Gefängnis by German playwright Julius Roderich Benedix) may come in handy and your own awareness of the Strauss version, which has delighted opera fans over many a decade and brought many of the finest vocal talents into theatres across the world, will be a bonus.
Vienna, 1955 and the ‘Four Powers’ – America, Britain, France and Russia – take turns at occupation, enforcing their own identity whilst people in their respective corners provide underhand gifts for one another. Amidst this energetic haven of multi-national desire is Dr. Falke (Anton Walbrook), a local black-market dealer of champagne and caviar.
However, the French Colonel, Gabriel Eisenstein (Michael Redgrave) uses him at the butt of a practical joke, leaving him in a drunken state on top of a statue, causing Falke to be arrested, but after General Orlofsky (Anthony Quayle) prevents imprisonment, Falke decides to return the favour…
Fans of Powell and Pressburger through the likes of A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, PEEPING TOM and THE RED SHOES will certainly wish to give this one a first look and one can sense all the trademark qualities that defined those bona-fide classics of British Cinema will come to the fore. It’s a handsomely mounted production with vivid colours and terrific cinematography courtesy of Christopher Challis, who was the lenser on the likes of THOSE MAGNIFICENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES and the children’s classic CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.
Unfortunately, the film falls between two stools here when you try and combine film and opera in one setting. The music will be familiar to aurally-astute fans who may have heard it in different contexts in other films. The film was not a commercial success on its original release back in 1955 and one senses that audiences today will struggle to engage with the film, despite its excellent credentials both in front of and behind the camera.
Still, the home video and streaming market, as well as future screenings on TV and Satellite, will at least assure it gets a more regular exposure after a lack of availability for viewing by fans.
OH… ROSALINDA! – available now via Blu-Ray, DVD and Amazon Video.
