by Hal Erickson
synopsis
Originally Ungarische Rhapsodie, this opulent Erich Pommer production stars Lil Dagover, Dita Parlo, and Willy Fritsch. The latter is cast as Franz, a dissolute young Austrian Army officer who gets himself into an embarrassing situation with the worldly Camilia (Dagover), the wife of elderly Baron Barsody (Leopold Kramer). Franz is rescued from public disgrace by pretty Hungarian peasant girl Marika (Parlo), who puts her own reputation on the line in the process. Out of gratitude, he asks Marika to become his wife, which she does, thereby apparently "absolving" the hero of his previous peccadilloes. Julian Johnson wrote the English-language subtitles for this heaping helping of mittel-European schmaltz.
