Champagne valse

Vienna is a city ruled musically by the Strauss waltz, in the person of Johann's grandchildren, Fritz Leiber and Gladys Swarthout. Then up pops Fred MacMurray and his jazz band at the club next door. Miss Swarthout goes to the American embassy to complain. MacMurray is there getting some chewing gum. He passes himself off as the consul and begins to make her fall in love with him.

Gladys Swarthout was a leading soprano of the Met; her Carmen was well liked. Paramount hoped to replicate Grace Moore's success with her. She had five major movie roles from 1936 through 1939. By the last she wasn't singing. She returned to the Met and the concert stage and died in 1969 at age 71.

THe movie (from a story by Billy Wilder) is filled out with Jack Oakie being swindled by countess Civienne Osborne, Veloz & Yolanda, Maude Eburne and -- inevitably for a movie set in Vienna -- Herman Bing. The musical numbers are elaborately staged, and overall, it is a pleasant enough musical. It just feels as if everyone is capable of much more.