Cinema
Masquerade in Vienna
Maskerade
Willi Forst · 1934
Synopsis
Vienna, carnival of 1905. Gerda, the wife of a renowned surgeon, goes at night to the studio of the painter Heideneck and poses for him, wearing only a muff and a mask. The drawing appears in a newspaper; pressed to say who the model is, Heideneck invents a name, Leopoldine Dur, and discovers that this name belongs to a very real young woman.
Context
The screenplay was completed in February 1934 by Walter Reisch and the director, in a Vienna hotel, in the midst of the civil war; shooting began on 20 February at the Rosenhügel studios and lasted twenty-eight days. The microphones of the time, not very sensitive, had to be placed very close to the actors and were hidden behind armchairs, vases and shelving so as not to cast a shadow. It was Paula Wessely's first film role. The film was released in Berlin on 21 August 1934, in Vienna on 26 September and in France on 5 October.
Who it is for
Ninety minutes, and a plot of misunderstandings that has to be followed closely. The Viennese charm is a backdrop, and the film is harsher than it looks.
Prizes and reception
Shown in competition at Venice in 1934, a worldwide success remade by Hollywood as early as 1935 under the title Escapade.
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