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In Vienna, Lieutenant Nikolaus "Niki" von Preyn
falls in love with violinist Franzi at a beer garden, although his married
friend Max has had his eye on her. Not long after, Niki convinces Franzi
to stay with him through breakfast, and they are caught up in a happy romance.
When the King of Flausenthurm arrives in Vienna with
his homely and sheltered daughter, Princess Anna, Niki turns out with the guards
in the street. He smiles and winks at Franzi, who is across the street,
just as the carriage passes, and Anna believes the smile was meant for her and
that he was making fun of her.
This incident makes the headlines, and Niki is
called before the king for disciplinary action. Noting that the king is
easy prey to flattery, and realizing that telling the truth would be of no help,
Niki claims that he smiled at Anna because he found her beautiful, and because
of this, forgot his duty. Thrilled by his flattery, Anna forgives him, and
the king appoints him to be his main adjutant while in Vienna.
In the evening, Niki returns to Franzi, and when she
shows signs of jealousy with regard to the princess, Niki honestly admits he
does not even remember the color of Anna's hair. While he and Franzi
reaffirm their love for each other, Anna is giving her ladies-in-waiting a
glowing account of Niki. Anna begs her father to allow her to marry Niki,
threatening to marry an American if he does not, and after getting approval from
his cousin, the Emperor, the king gives his consent.
Much to Niki's surprise, Adjutant Von Rockoff
appears at Niki's apartment and informs him that, although he is not allowed to
propose to the princess, he is to be married to her. When Niki attempts to
protest the marriage, the emperor himself congratulates him and he realizes he
is stuck.
Dejected, Franzi takes her lingerie, sheet music and
violin and leaves Niki's apartment, but leaves behind a garter and a note
saying, "It was lovely while it lasted."
Niki and Anna are married and move to Flausenthurm,
but Niki is too miserable to consummate the union, and Anna spends most of her
time playing checkers with her father.
One day, Niki discovers that Franzi has come to
Flausenthurm with her all-girl orchestra, and has her unofficially arrested so
he can spend time with her. Anna becomes aware of the affair and calls
Franzi to the palace to meet her. Both women sob over their predicament,
but Franzi takes pity on Anna and tries to bring her into the modern age by
introducing her to sexy lingerie, jazz music and a new hair style, among other
things. The women part as friends, and Franzi leaves Flausenthurm for
good.
Hearing lively jazz music in the palace, Niki rushes
downstairs to find Anna transformed, and unable to believe his eyes, he checks
the liquor bottle from which he was drinking, takes another drink and returns to
Anna. Convinced of her new beauty, he tosses the checkers board onto their
bed, and the newlyweds finally head for a good game.
Notes
The film was based on the operetta Ein Walzertraum by Felix Dörmann and
Leopold Jacobson (Leipzig, May 31, 1907), and the novel Nux der Prinzgemahl
by Hans Müller (publication undetermined).
Scenes shot for this film are included in the 1931
Paramount promotional film The House That Shadows Built. Modern
sources add the following credits: Art Direction, Hans Dreier; Music
Direction, Adolph Deutsch; Music Arrangement, John W. Green and Conrad Salinger;
Sound Engineering, C.A. Tuthill; ( Officer ) Charles Wassenheim; (A woman) Maude
Allen. Further, one modern source notes that Paramount maintained three
silent versions of the film for foreign release to defray the cost of their
original negative.
Maurice Chevalier experienced personal tragedy during the production when
his mother died, and he also became estranged from his wife, Yvonne Vallee, at
this time. Modern sources report that
Miriam Hopkins earned $1,500 per week for this, her second feature film.
By the 1950s, film experts believed that the film no
longer existed. However, a print was eventually found in the Danish Film
Archives. An earlier film entitled The Waltz Dream, which was based
on the same sources, was produced in Germany in 1926 and was released in the
United States. The Smiling Lieutenant was nominated by AMPAS for
Best Picture of 1931/32, and NYT included it in its 1931 "Ten Best" list.
NYSA records list a French version of the film called Le lieutenant
souriant, directed by Ernst Lubitsch and written by Ernest Vadja, that
starred
Maurice Chevalier,
Claudette Colbert and
Miriam Hopkins, with French dialogue and lyrics by Jacques Bataille-Henri.
That version, which was 8,126 feet in length, played in New York on October 15,
1931. According to an article in NYT in February 1932, the French
version was very successful in Paris. No additional information on a
French version has been located, however, and it is probable that the version
mentioned in the NYT was merely dubbed. Although NYT
commented on a wedding scene in the film, no such scene was seen in the viewed
print.
Music includes: "Jazz Up Your Lingerie," "One
More Hour of Love," "Breakfast Table Love Song," "What Can They Expect of Me?" "Toujours
L'Amour in the Army" and "Live for Today," music by Oscar Straus, lyrics by
Clifford Grey. The song "Breakfast Table Love" might also be known
as "One More Hour of Love," and "Live for Today" might also be
known as "While Hearts Are Singing."
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