On the plains of Hungary, Franz ( Herr Willy Fritsch ), a Hussard lieutenant, is brooding about his future because, though born into an aristocratic family, his father drank away the family fortune ( a common habit for aristocrats even in Hungary ) so in addition to the problem of making a good living, he must deal with the army regulation that an officer must have forty-five thousand crowns before he can take a wife. But Franz loves Marika ( Dita Parlo ) a commoner whose father works for the wealthy Baron Barsod. Marika is a girl so devoted to Hungarian customs that she even asks her fiancée to work in the fields performing the manly task of wielding a scythe ( an outrage for an aristocrat, even one down on his luck, since such hands are more accustomed to handling delicate Bohemian glasses ). Fortunately Baron Barsody's wife, Dame Camilla ( Lil Dagover ) will visit the estate to spend time in the way she likes most, that is to say, flirting with whosever handy, including poor Frank, which results in a situation that ends up putting everyone's honor at stake.
"Üngarische Rhapsodie" was a film directed by the German director Herr Hanns Schwarz, who also directed a movie this German count especially recommends "Die Wundebare Lüge Der Nina Petrovna", a superb romantic silent film. Herr Schwarz was a director who specialized in the German genre known as "film operettas" and "Üngarische Rhapsodie" is a good example; The most remarkable aspect of this film which perhaps lingers too long on Hungarian picturesqueness, is the important German cast that starred in the film. In addition to the skillful Herr Schwarz direction with its attentiveness to love and lust we have a screenplay written by another important German director, Herr Joe May, who directed films so important for the silent cinema history as "Heimkehr" (1928) and "Asphalt" (1929). It must be said that Herr Schwarz and Herr May were , for "UFA", the first ones to develop a new creative type for the German film company, the "production director", who was there to influence the director and collaborate with him (thus limiting his power).
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this Germanic Count must order the servants to stop singing those martial Austro-Hungarian operettas during their Schloss duties.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/
