Tino Rossi - Bel Ami, 1941

Tino Rossi, Orchestre sous la dir. de Jacques Metehen - Bel ami (Theo Mackeben / Louis Poterat) (du Willy Frost film "Bel ami"), Columbia 1941

This film was originally made in UFA-Berlin 1939 and was released in Paris under the German occupation, in 1941. The title song immediately became a grand "schlager" in Paris of 1941 - it was sung and recorded by many French artists, including Eva Busch.

French film critics, who in large number collaborated with the press controlled by the Nazis - could find no words to express their enthusiasm for the "artistical quality" of a Nazi-German production. "Bubblier than champagne and lighter than the air of Paris" - was the verdict of French critics on Willy Forst, the co-scenarist, director and star of "Bel Ami".
"In the congenial role of Maupassant's irresistible womaniser, who uses his charm to get to the top - they wrote - the Viennese Forst manages to resurrect the frivolous light-heartedness of a waltzing never-never land in the shape of turn-of-the-century Paris".

In Eastern Europe this Nazi propaganda movie product - in Prague or in Warsaw - was shown merely in the cinemas "Nur fuer Deutsche". The underground armies' orders - which were disseminated in thousands of leaflets throughout the occupied cities of Poland - forbade visiting nazi-controlled cinemas and watching their films.

See also:
http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=2ECLROT9aTA

http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZSADBhXBm4

http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=UWKUkuv8KLU

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Nazi
• Germany
• Deutschland
• tanz
• orchester
• France
• collaboration

[Rudipolt]

Fine Song!

Aloha from Hawaii!

[MrAlGator]

No. The movie was not made by the UFA. It was shot in Vienna by Willy Forst´s own company FF (Forst Films) Forst had left Germany and went back to Austria using as company logo the old logo of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire (this was before Hitler invaded Austria).

[chatzepsout]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!

[Rudipolt]

Fine Song!

Thanks for posting!

Aloha from Hawaii!

[BernardProfitendieu]

@muscleco you think the Krauts weren't efficient enough to use up all the old labels before having new ones printed?

[sormu16]

It says on the label, that the record can't be played for audiences in public or in radio. Luckily it says nothing about YouTube!

[musilongas]

@vertxxgg Saludos. ¡Excelente anécdota!

[Rudipolt]

Fine Song!

Thanks for posting!

Aloha from Hawaii!

[drhasenhirn]

manifique!!

merci

[buzzbound]

I know the song from Lizzi Waldmuller's version in the 1939 film but didn't know about this version...I love Tino Rossi's light, romantic voice, and the song suits him very well.