Added: 4 years ago
From: eshutdown
Views: 148,082
Sort by time | Sort by thread (beta)

Link to this comment:

Share to:
see all

All Comments (192)

Sign In or Sign Up now to post a comment!
  • What a treasure this film is. I've got to throw something out into this pronunciation debate though...I'm amazed I never thought about it. I completely understand the preferred hard vowel sound ( Copen-hey-gan) used in Dutch and aligned to native English annunciation, and additionally respect the political dislike of the soft vowel as sounded by Germans.. However, It has never occurred to me to consider a German or English preference here as, I always saw it as an American film, despite the s

  • Why are the comments on this video so freakin' angry?!

  • This film was one of my favourites growing up. The songs are incredible, I've not seen this film in nearly 10 years and yet I still remember ever word to all the songs.

  • There is so much sexual tension in this scene.

  • I didn't mean to offend any danny kaye fans, i promise - It's just, you know, denmark is a reeaally small country and HCA is one of the few things we feel that we can be a bit proud of. So I just think we feel bothered when you go and make a film about him that makes him all American. make one about danny kaye, then..

  • @HelenGIE I was blessed enough to live in Copenhagen with a host family for 6 months. I love everything Denmark is about and you guys have a LOT more you can be proud of as well. What happened during the holocaust, for example. As an American, I didn't learn that story until I visited the Holocaust Museum in DC and was astounded I wasn't taught it in school. Also, Legos. My love for Denmark started with HCA and my love for him started from watching this film, however inaccurate it was, (c)

  • @HelenGIE and since he never claims to be an American, he is very clearly in the film from Denmark, the only thing American about him being the accent, and since it's a 1950's musical kids film, I don't see why it should bother anyone. If anything, it just opens more people's eyes to how incredible HCA was. Plus no one I met in Copenhagen seemed bothered by the film when it was mentioned. My host sister even taught me this song in Danish, which was awesome, saying she learned it in school.

  • My father save up for months to take my mom who he was dating to see Danny Kaye perform and he was late and one audience member said something at the start, like, "it's about time." And Kaye said, "I don't have to do a show for this kind of people" and left. No refunds were given.

  • @jms34668 i wouldnt blame him for leaving.. no one wants to be spoken to rudely and he probably had a reason. it just sucks that everyone else had to miss out and not get their money back just because of one stupid comment

  • My dad and I would watch this movie on tv during the 70's. I always liked this song!

  • Pleasant clip: Andersen's are certainly dark and complex but also entertaining.

  • Comment removed

  • To HelenGIE, I find it a little amusing that you, not only watched this clip, but also felt the need to complain about it's content. Too funny.

  • This was one of the highlights of my kidhood--loved playing the songs on the piano too.

  • Been to Copenhagen four times. Wonderful indeed! But had my best Danish experience on the west coast of Denmark, a little known but totally charming island named Fano. Most enormous beach I've ever seen. Quaint. Quiet. Miss it!

  • Have to say Helen GIE the usual put down of something great for the occasion - you people just have to crap on with your myoptic views - get with it, get with the feel that this film is expressing. Synalla put it correctly - you can't beat that. Graham Melb Aus

  • Comment removed

  • 2:14 =)

  • what is the name of that boy? I mean in the film...

  • @o0NicolaiP0o Wonderful, Wonderful, Copenhagen.

  • i love this song!

  • Comment removed

  • Wonderful Copenhagen - I hope to visit you some day! Love from a Danny Kaye fan

  • Comment removed

  • The star and the score are beyond criticism.

  • @alexalex3131 Agree; but some are beyond ever having a positive thing to say about anything!

  • Pop quiz-All right, who composed the songs for this movie? (You'll make luck a lady if you know the answer. Good luck, and Happy Hallowe'en.)

  • @Juliaflo Wasn't it Frank Loesser? Happy Halloween to you, too!

  • @Celtinea Yesssss!

    Same to you.

    

  • @Celtinea you are correct.

  • I have Always loved this musical. Danny Kay was an awesome performer, and this was one of my Favorite movies he did. It was Sooooo sad.

  • Hvad fanden? o.o

    De skal sgu da synge dansk hvis det er HC Andersen! :P

  • The song is wonderful, wonderfu Copenhagen.

  • I get a kick out of Danny Kaye's little laugh or whatever it is after he says "as long as you've come this far!"

  • For anyone that says that this is not based on truth, it's not supposed to be. At the opening the title says that this is in itself a fairytale based upon the writer. I can't remember the exact description but it was something like that.

  • The kid has the face of a puppet.

  • Comment removed

  • well.. i find it a little annoying that H.C. Andersen is described this way. I know the film's just for entertainment, but this is really, really incorrect. He was actually depressed, insecure, deeply selfish and most of his fairy tales have sad endings. I still think he's a great author, and he can be that without being a perfect and blithering cliché .

  • @HelenGIE true the depiction is not correct historically but the movie is a complete charm and danny kaye does something here that has become the very standard of childrens entertainment

  • @HelenGIE Hey..

    I for one could give a rats ass about this movie being accurate. The song, the story and of course the great Danny Kaye playing the role of H.C.A. makes this movie enchanting. If it brings a child to read classic fairy tales, do research on the history of the stories origin and the study the background of its author well then who the #$%^ cares.

  • @HelenGIE While this may be a late response, I would like to add that this was meant for younger audiences as well as older. Danny Kaye usually starred in movies that left its watchers feeling bright and chipper. While Andersen in reality did not live his life this way, this film is another example of the movies that Danny Kaye shined in and put his own twist on.

  • @HelenGIE It does specify at the beginning of the movie though that it isn't supposed to be biographical. "A fairytale about this great spinner of fairytales", is how the film is described. I usually get irritated at historical inaccuracies, but when they're so open about how they've romanticised it, and when it's such a great film, I don't mind so much. There is nothing I would change about this film.

  • strangest conversation here LOL .why do they pronounce it this way or that way. No matter how its pronounced .. its DONE.. they filmed this in 1952 and it AINT gonna change the fact no matter how much you tell em to stop.

    Just enjoy the song and music for what it is.

  • The kid is hilarious. He got one of those faces.

  • I just wonder where they think they came from looking at all that open sea. As far as I know you can see land from all sides from the ships. It's not that far to get there.

  • @Saartje05 if your going to reply to someone write under their comment not leave a new comment after new comment :)

  • @aillweecaveman

    It's my business what I do or not.

  • @Saartje05 wahey u learned how to reply :P

  • @aillweecaveman

    Now you learn how to write

  • @Saartje05 why pardon my English, that is fantastic you have learned how to rely to people. It seems most arguments people have on Youtube come down to the petty comeback of learn to spell, or write. NEWSFLASH its a new era with a new form of communication basically shorthand get used it or you'll be correcting alot of people :)

  • @aillweecaveman I do and I'll keep doing it.

  • Andersen blond?

    As long as know, he had black hair as ebony.

  • You could be right there. But this was made in 1952 and it IS a movie.... I've been at Anderson's house only a couple of months ago. Fantastic.

  • WELCOME to dark and boring country ( denmark )

    Road and street Always DARK ,driving in night is so difficult

    Der for we have not so much tourist in this country .

    so sorry about that

  • Shut the fuck up freedom007ful.

    Move to another country if it's so bad

  • It's not, it's so beautiful

  • Somehow you missed something because there are loads of tourists in Denmark. It's a beautiful country and we love to go there. And driving in the night isn't difficult at all. Just don't drink first.

  • Looking at your profile, you're not from Denmarkt originally. You should be ashamed talking about a country like Denmark.

  • @freedom007ful

    what the f**k is you're problem?

    if you don't like Denmark then don't talk about, watch videos that are realted to it or live in the country!

    just a smal fact for you: MANY people are proud to be danish and we are only SO lucky to even get a big actor like Danny Kaye to play Andersen..

  • Comment removed

  • @freedom007ful... You have a F*****G prob dude , WTH are you talking about ??? who told you that Denmark is Boring ? It is one of the most beautiful and interesting country i've ever visited in my whole life .... Danes are the best ppl and so friendly and at least u feel that u are welcome in this country ....if u don't like it don't watch it and don't visit it ...keep these no sense comments for you .

  • @freedom007ful Ain't much of a patriot are ya

  • @freedom007ful Bullshit

  • Respond to this video... COPENHAGEN... its not germany... its pronounced: Copen-hegen - like the american letter "E" not with a geman sounded "A".

  • @crazycutz Actually, it's more like "ker-ben-HOW'n"

  • You have no friends?

  • København - Merchants harbour

    =0)

  • Of course, the actual Danish name of the city is Kobenhavn (with the letter O being the Danish letter with the slash through it - not on my keyboard, alas) and they pronounce that "kubenhaun." It means "trade harbor."

  • The Danes prefer that it be pronounced "Copen-HAY-gen" (long "a"), and that's the preferred British pronunciation, too. (Just got back from there and got an education on how to pronounce it!). The reason - the Germans pronounce it "Copen-HAH-gen" (short "a") and the Danes don't like that! Also, yes, the titling of this YouTube post is incorrect - the movie song is "Wonderful Copenhagen" (not "Beautiful"). And Danny Kaye pronounces it the German way all the way through - oh, dear!

  • Why is this city referred to as 'beautiful'? All one hears in the fllm is 'wonderful' and 'wonderful' is even on all my record labels.

    Sorry to be so picky.

    By the way, how is the A pronounced in 'Copenhagen'?

  • Copenhagen is really wonderful:) i love that city:) DENMARK ROCKS♥

  • looks like a busy day on the boat

  • I LOVE Danny Kaye! This is my favorite song. I used to watch this movie all the time with my Grandma, and I still do. It will be enjoyed for generations to come!

  • Fabulous song, for the month of december 2009 it will have a satirical edge for me that the writer could scarcely have imagined!

  • Okay - I'm jumping on the "How To Pronounce The "A" In Copenhagen Debate" bandwagon - and, despite coming from an English-speaking background, I don't think the English pronunciation would suit the song.

    Just my opinion...^_^

    ~JazkaStar~

  • Does it matter how you pronounce it. It's not like Copenhagen is the Danish name of the city anyway...^^

  • lovely movie

  • gagarin

  • I love to throw in a big lip of wonderful, beautiful Copenhagen.

  • I think Danny is just excited coz he cannot wait to get some of that hash. I hope he enjoyed it.

  • not everyone is a fag stoner like you

  • copenhagen? or are you confusing it with Amsterdam? the dutch and the Danish are two different people and places

  • @MissMousy60 wrong city

  • Lovely movie, great song, but I wish he had pronounced Copenhagen in English rather than in German. Danes hate hearing that pronunciation in English. Neither the English nor the German pronunciation are at all close to the Danish pronunciation of København.

  • Yes...but...it's made for an English-speaking audience....so get over it.

  • I'm not asking anyone to pronounce it in Danish, just to pronounce it in English, not bad German, since the song is in English for English speakers. But, I already wrote that and you didn't seem to understand, so I doubt you will understand it this time.

  • Beautiful.  Love this music.

  • wtf, is this the story "Pelle the conqueror" ?

  • No this is from 1952. Pelle the Conqueror isn't that old of a movie.. And this one doesn't take place on Bornholm either, and lastly: Pelle came from Sweden to Bornholm, not from Sweden to Copenhagen :-)

  • Cliche, but what the heck? They don't make lovely kids' movies like this anymore!! SHAME!!

  • This might be my all-time favorite Danny Kaye movie, but all his movies were our family's favorites when we were growing up-now my daughter loves him too, and so will her new baby! So what was everyone's favorite?

    Wonder Man, A Song Is Born, of course HC Andersen, Walter Mitty, Knock on Wood and Court Jester are my top faves!

  • Yeah and just how many peoples could or would feel this way about there home town and or where ever they might live that thye would burst into song upon seeing it once agina after a long time ot be able to feel this way would be very wonderful indeed!

  • i actually hate the song until danny kaye comes in. then i love it

  • Jewish 1972: the film is meant for families to sit down together and enjoy. Unfortuately, cynical ppl like u will never share the same experiences as us who remember the film from our childhood with great fond memories. You obv. can't just accept the film for what it is so do us all a favor and don't ruin it for everyone else!

    Plus u obv. haven't actually watched the movie properly or you would know that Danny Kaye is playin Hans Christian Anderson!

  • I love this song. One of the best one from Danny Kaye

  • The scene right after this where all of the merchants are singing their wares is great. The man singing SAUSAGES SAUSAGES makes me laugh every time.

  • this is one of my favorite movies.

    id say top ten. no, top 7. naw, lets go for top 5. =D

  • Just wonderful, there are no words for such wonderful old musicals like this.

    I have been a hippie and gone through other stages of taste; sang on stage myself in musicals, gone through many stages in life, but nothing puts a dent or touches the place in me these musicals do.

    I just love this, and all the other songs from this great musical.

  • this film seems very unrealistic to me. H.C.Andersen (i supose the kid, not the adult man, for he went to Copenhagen with 10 years) was a bullied child in Odense & travelled to Copenhagen to starve. Until the danish king gave him a grant he lived u. very difficult circumstances. Later he became rich & famous with his stories, but that was like the tale of the ugly duckling

  • @kzargentina y do people have to comment about a film like it has to be factual. if it was intirely factual it would be dull and boring like the london or liverpool tate modern. but here we have a classic family fun movie

  • i remember seeing this as a child also - what a great movie. I sang the songs for years.

  • I still can sing each of the songs.... and then I see these videos and realize that I don't even miss a word.

    What memories!

  • great  stuff...! I remember seeing this as a child and wanting more than anything to some day visit......!

  • I'll be there in September. This song send a shiver up my spine!

  • check out the cd of this movie - I own the cd of the music from this movie -great songs

  • When I lived in Denmark all the Danes would sing along when this Danny Kaye feature was on TV ensuring they emphasized CopenhAgen as it is the German pronunciation. Germans are not their favorite friends. The correct English pronunciation is CopenHAYgen

  • You're absolutely right. They think they pronounce more properly and Danish, but Copenhagen is called København.

  • Does anyone know who the first singer, the deep voiced one is?

  • Its a studio singer who also did a lot of stuff for the Disney studio in the late 50s and 60s. I am not absolutely sure of his name, but it is possibly Jerome Courtland.

  • The American pronunciation is harsh. Softening the A sounds soft and respectful. Gee, maybe the producers went for sound, fools that they were.  Didn't bother this kid in the theater. I was enthralled.

  • i could swear te songs called wonderful copenhage not 'beautiful'

  • penut360: You are correct.

  • Pop quiz---Stand on the corner and name the composer of this song.

  • Didn't Danny Kaye's wife, Sylvia Fine, write most of his music? I know she did for "Court Jester." Ah, a Google search tells me it was Frank Loesser.

  • Wonderful times and memories these were. I even took a girl aboard. The Capt. hated that so. But a few gold coins made him think different lol! what a wonderful time on deck watching the stars we had..Then we sang this song!!!!! This is for her.. never forget. -UW

  • One of my favorite movies. Danny Kaye was a very underrated singer and actor.

  • beautiful song I love it.Thanks again

  • My favorite Hans Christian Andersen song !

  • Talk about goosebumps and chills! I loved this movie as a child and loved playing the music on the piano! Thanks for this!

  • Cou-ben-houn

  • Thanks for the post, love this song, lets give some credit to Frank Loesser...

  • ARRRGGHHHH!!! CopenHAAAAgen!!! You're not Germans, we're not Germans... Why speak German?

  • i agree completely, its really anoying.. its københavn or cobenhagen.

  • It's not said in German, but in English. It's the way they pronounce Copenhagen. We say Kopenhaaagen too btw. Lovely song about a lovely city. I'll be back this summer!

  • ehm, no

  • Absolutely Awesome! 5 Stars!...:) Karen

  • hey i don`t know how to say it correct but if i was there ..i`d certianly try..anyway the song is catchy and it sounds like a place to see someday..first i have to see italy {my wife is from there,lol} danka

  • Danny Kaye - what a talent

  • it is actually quite weird, that they dont just pronounce it in english, now that the whole song is in english. and u're right, if they absolutely wants to try and pronounce it in danish, they should do it right, not in that German way. And u who tries to right the pronounciation in english, stop it. cuz u cant. Its spelled København, and pronounced with a Ø, which is a sound u cant make with other letters than Ø, and therefore cant teach to pronounce it in writing. BYE :)

  • *who tries to (right =) write the pro...

  • haha:D Here's how to pronounce it if you really want to get close, or maybe not so close:P

    kø-ben-havn=curb'n'hown:D

    Do you agree?:)

    Well, I guess they didn't do a lot of research at that time, and to be honest, it really doesn't matter does it?:) it was clearly not the goal of the movie to be accurate? And it's a fact that it sound's better with 'copenhaargen' than 'copenheeygen' if you are to sing it, try it out. That's just my opinion:)

  • the "ben" is not a problem, "ben" = "ben". about the "havn", I'd probably say "houn" instead of "hown". cuz "houn" is an ordinary sound in english, fx from the word "Hound"(jagthund/jage/forfølge­). so, thats not the problem either. as I said below, the problem is "Kø", cuz u cant write the sound of "Ø" with any other letters than "Ø". u could teach it in speech, but not in writing. but I admit, that "cur" comes close to it... Kø-ben-havn = Cur-ben-houn

  • Is the Danish "Ø" pronounced anything like the German umlaut-O (written either "oe" or "ö") as in "schön"?

  • In my opinion, it can be pronounced exactly the same, but the question was how to pronounce it, if you were English, and they don't have Ö either. But yes, the pronunciation of Ö and Ø is the same. The reason why I said 'can be', is that the sound can differ a bit. The sound can be the same sound as when you pronounce the letter Ø, in words such as løbe, købe or kød(run, buy or meat), this is the case. The sound of the letter, and the sound in these words, are the same as Ö in schön

  • (although the sound of Ø may be a bit harder and shorter). But many vocals have more than one sound. Fx A, which in Fx English, has both the sound as in the word Axe, and the sound as in the word Archer. Ø also has more than one sound. In words such as løn, bøn or søm(wage, prayer or seam), the sound is a bit different from Ö. The best way I can describe this sound, is by comparing it to the sound of U in words such as the English Urban and Urge. Hope it helped :)

  • Yes, thank you -- that's actually more information than I expected.

    To my Anglophonic ears, the whole Danish language sounds halfway between German and Swedish -- which isn't at all surprising when you look at a map!

  • no no, Swedish and German are halfway Danish :)

    But I'm glad I could help.

    cya

  • @scotpens  Yes it is.... ^^

  • Is this pronunciation fuss really necessary? Look -- Peking became Beijing, (except on menus listing Peking Duck). Munich is actually Munchen in Germany (I don't know how to do an umlaut in this post). All anyone can do is ask the wordsmiths in their language to have their best shot at a correct pronunciation. How do you get Moscow out of Moscva?

  • You are totally not understanding the essence of this discussion, please don't interrupt a perfectly decent debate with your imbecilic nonsense. (And for your information: it's called München - and German, not Germany - and Moskva , not Moscva, and Moscow isnt the Russian way to write and pronouns it - and, and, and etc.) I can't believe anyone can say so many stupid wrong things in only one post, you must have the same intelligence quotient as an amoeba.

  • Sorry to have disturbed the rock you sleep under.

  • I think you are the one who sleeps under a rock, cuz you are the one saying things that doesnt make any sense in this debate.

  • Can't you do any better than to catch an "amoeba" in a measley spelling error?

  • what are you talking about?

  • The pronunciation of the A in Copenhagen. Isn't that what the "debate" is about?

  • what are you talking about?

  • It's obvious you only understand your own voice. Maybe you need another nap under the rock.

  • maybe you could just tell me what you're talking about. I have not been in any form of debate with you, and suddenly you expect me to be. just tell me what you wanna discuss, then I might reply.

  • Det er københavn på Dansk :)

  • Copenhagen is a wonderful city. I was there two years ago and the people were very friendly (and didn't seem to mind that I was mispronouncing it as the song does). It's a short flight from Amsterdam and a short train ride from Lund (Sweden). Very clean, good food, and nice people -- would definitely visit again.

  • Okay, learn it. Co-pen-haaaar-gen is swedish, Copen-hay-gen is danish!! It sounds like a bounch of swedes sinigng english!

  • Bbrrrrrrrrrr...

  • Hehehe...

  • I think it is great song.greetings from Copenhagen Dennmark

  • this is one of my favorite songs from this movie

  • One of the greatest cities in the world! I played there the first time in '77 and I Lived there from '79-'82 and it was a beautiful experience. Jeg savner min eneste hjemme! (That's for anyone who reads Danish!)

  • Classic stuff! Clink those glasses and celebrate the gift of life folks.

  • The title of this song is Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen

    ..not Beautiful..Beautiful Copenhagen.

  • That's not how you pronounce it!! It's copen-haaaaay-gen, not copen-haaaaaar-gen! Argh!

  • In Danish it's pronounced "Ku-ben-how-en"

    Kobenhavn is the Danish spelling, with a slanted line through the "o"...

  • Det er jeg godt klar over... :-)

  • Er Du Dansk? Jeg Elske Danmark! Jeg boede i Damark 2 aar!

  • I've heard tell the Danes aren't crazy to hear people pronounce it copen-haw-gen, because it's a bit too close to the way the Germans pronounced it after they invaded Denmark during World War II.

  • thanks for this mate a classic

  • Wonderful, wonderful... indeed. :)

    Thank you very much.

  • Frank Loesser, you've done it again...

  • My father (George Vreeland Hill) loved this movie.

    George Vreeland Hill (SR) 1931-2007

  • To GeorgeVreelandHill:

    Good songs, good movies and beloved people never die. Didn't you know? ;)

  • How can anyone not love Danny Kaye more talent in his little finger than anyone I have ever seen.We'll never forget you Danny

  • Gracias por esta canción. Es una película que ví cuando era niña y no tenía la esperanza de volver a escucharla.

  • Carmen: me quitaste las palabras de la boca, como dicen por ahi... ;)

  • were is cop and what is this=)

  • I love this movie please try to post it i cant find it ANYWHERE!!!

  • y would some one even post that?