AllMovie

Oh, Rosalinda! is certainly not one of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's great films, but it is an enjoyable little bauble. Aficionados of operettas (and of obscure musicals, period) will especially enjoy Rosalinda and will be more willing than general audiences to overlook its flaws. These include a silly farce of a story that has not well survived the transfer from its original operatic source, some stilted dialogue, pedestrian lyrics, generally uninspired choreography -- and the game but not especially tuneful singing voices of Michael Redgrave and Anthony Quayle. (Other cast members lip-sync to the voices of professional singers; the vocal quality is certainly better, but most are a bit wan in the drama department). On the positive side, Rosalinda has a lovely, charming candy-box look to it, filled with the kind of sets and costumes that look good enough to eat. Singing aside, Redgrave is his usual charismatic self (and gets to display his flair for physical comedy), Ludmilla Tcherina is a captivating, enchanting Rosalinda, Dennis Price is amusing, and Anton Walbrook is droll. This is the kind of film that has to constantly stay afloat to be successful; Rosalinda too often finds itself touching the ground, but it offers enough pleasures to make it worth catching.