After decades of seeing this funny Berlin Operetta from 1930 in embarrassing "Heimatfilm" version, it is good to finally have a production that shows the piece as the madcap play-with-music that is is, and that has nothing to do with sickeningly sweet nostalgia but all to do with hilarious fun. Later filmversions with Johannes Heesters (1952) and Peter Alexander (1960) totally ignored this aspect of the operetta,and turned into what all operettas looked like at the time (and most still do today): sentimental toss!
This filmed live-performance of a Berlin off-scene production at the trendy "Bar jeder Vernunft" gathered a handpicked group of cabaret actors (Geschwister Pfister, Meret Becker) and nostalgia singers (Max Raabe) plus some famous German actors (Otto Sander), to produce a small scale version, that is simply irresistible. It started a revival of operetta as an intelligent genre for intelligent people in Germany.
Sadly, there have been no other productions like this one at the "Bar jeder Vernunft" (though they had thought about Paul Linckes "Frau Luna" in 1999/2000). The Geschister Pfister, who direct and star, have since become National Treasures as a dancing and singing trio of ultra camp style... which can be said of this "Roessl"-version as well.
But that's what makes it so perfect and so much fun!
