A balalaika is a three-string instrument played like a guitar. Its body is triangular and the pitch is a higher range. It's one of the principal instruments in Russian folk music. In this film, Balalaika also is the name of a restaurant or nightclub in St. Petersburg during the last years of imperial Russia. Some of the early scenes take place in the restaurant that offers up a good menu of singing and Russian music.
"Balalaika" is a very good musical romance with a tinge of drama and look at a period in history. The music, performers and the costumes make this film. Ilona Massey appeared two years earlier in "Rosalie" that starred Nelson Eddy and Eleanor Powell. This film was the only pairing of Eddy and Massey as leads. Massey is excellent in her role as Lydia Marakova. She has a beautiful voice and appearance, and she can act. Others have commented on her fine voice and relatively short Hollywood career. She had only a few more minor singing roles in later films, along with roles in several films of other genres.
Massey sings five songs solo or with chorus backing, and she sings several other numbers with Eddy and others. She gives a wonderful rendition of the Russian favorite, "Otchi Chornia" (Dark Eyes).
Nelson Eddy plays a double role as Prince Peter Karagin and as Peter Teranda. He has six solo or chorus backed songs. Among these is his marvelous "Song of the Volga Boatmen" (El Ukhnem), which he sings in Russian. Another standout number is from a scene where the Russians are entrenched against the Austrians during the First World War. It's Christmas, and the Russians first hear the Austrians singing "Silent Night" in Russian. Eddy, a prince and general of the Russian army, responds and sings "Stille Nacht" in German to the Austrians.
A fine supporting cast contributes mostly to the music and light comedy of the film. Charles Ruggles is superb as Nicki Popoff. Frank Morgan is Ivan Danchenoff, Lionel Atwill is Prof. Marakov and C. Aubrey Smith plays Gen. Karagin, the prince's father.
The musical romance of the film overlays a drama with historical aspects. The latter are very awkward. The plot runs from the end days of czarist Russia to the start of World War I. It then jumps past World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution to Paris of the early 1920s. No doubt, Hollywood's attempts in 1939 not to rankle the feathers of the Soviet Union have something to do with the weak historical aspects. The historical is interesting, but that part of the story is very choppy. The film ends in Paris in the early 1920s, with the displaced Russian royalty.
This movie is based on a 1933 musical play, "The Great Hussar," that opened in London in October 1933. It was quite successful, enjoying a run of 569 performances through the end of 1936. The movie was well received by critics. In the year that produced the highest number of great films, "Balalaika" made a little more than its budget at the box office.
The music, performances, sets and costumes contribute to a very good and enjoyable film. "Balalaika" is especially a look at a fine female singer whom many would like to have enjoyed in more musicals.
Here are some favorite lines from this film. For more humorous dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.
Peter Teranda, "Don't they put numbers on these houses?" Policeman, "The new numbers are on brass plates. That's progress. The janitors sell the brass plates for vodka. That's Russia."
Ivan Danchenoff, after the opera cast applauds following Lydia's audition, "Silence! I don't hire you to applaud but to be applauded."
Lydia, to Peter while they are racing in a horse-drawn carriage, "Oh, careful. You're going too fast." Peter Teranda, "Who? Me or the horses?"
A soldier in the trenches, "Calvary stew." Another soldier, "We used to ride 'em and now we eat 'em."
Jeanette Sibirsky, "What exquisite jewelry." Madam Danchenoff, "I'm afraid they're just copies, my child." Ivan Danchenoff, "Yes, yes. We ate the originals... indirectly."
Michael Sibirsky, speaking of his wife, "Once I commanded the czar's own guard. Now she commands me."
The elderly Princess Natalya Petrovna asks Nicki Popoff to dance with her in Nicki's Parisian cafe. Nicki, "Oh, your highness. Well, and to think it took a revolution to bring us together."
"Balalaika" is a very good musical romance with a tinge of drama and look at a period in history. The music, performers and the costumes make this film. Ilona Massey appeared two years earlier in "Rosalie" that starred Nelson Eddy and Eleanor Powell. This film was the only pairing of Eddy and Massey as leads. Massey is excellent in her role as Lydia Marakova. She has a beautiful voice and appearance, and she can act. Others have commented on her fine voice and relatively short Hollywood career. She had only a few more minor singing roles in later films, along with roles in several films of other genres.
Massey sings five songs solo or with chorus backing, and she sings several other numbers with Eddy and others. She gives a wonderful rendition of the Russian favorite, "Otchi Chornia" (Dark Eyes).
Nelson Eddy plays a double role as Prince Peter Karagin and as Peter Teranda. He has six solo or chorus backed songs. Among these is his marvelous "Song of the Volga Boatmen" (El Ukhnem), which he sings in Russian. Another standout number is from a scene where the Russians are entrenched against the Austrians during the First World War. It's Christmas, and the Russians first hear the Austrians singing "Silent Night" in Russian. Eddy, a prince and general of the Russian army, responds and sings "Stille Nacht" in German to the Austrians.
A fine supporting cast contributes mostly to the music and light comedy of the film. Charles Ruggles is superb as Nicki Popoff. Frank Morgan is Ivan Danchenoff, Lionel Atwill is Prof. Marakov and C. Aubrey Smith plays Gen. Karagin, the prince's father.
The musical romance of the film overlays a drama with historical aspects. The latter are very awkward. The plot runs from the end days of czarist Russia to the start of World War I. It then jumps past World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution to Paris of the early 1920s. No doubt, Hollywood's attempts in 1939 not to rankle the feathers of the Soviet Union have something to do with the weak historical aspects. The historical is interesting, but that part of the story is very choppy. The film ends in Paris in the early 1920s, with the displaced Russian royalty.
This movie is based on a 1933 musical play, "The Great Hussar," that opened in London in October 1933. It was quite successful, enjoying a run of 569 performances through the end of 1936. The movie was well received by critics. In the year that produced the highest number of great films, "Balalaika" made a little more than its budget at the box office.
The music, performances, sets and costumes contribute to a very good and enjoyable film. "Balalaika" is especially a look at a fine female singer whom many would like to have enjoyed in more musicals.
Here are some favorite lines from this film. For more humorous dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.
Peter Teranda, "Don't they put numbers on these houses?" Policeman, "The new numbers are on brass plates. That's progress. The janitors sell the brass plates for vodka. That's Russia."
Ivan Danchenoff, after the opera cast applauds following Lydia's audition, "Silence! I don't hire you to applaud but to be applauded."
Lydia, to Peter while they are racing in a horse-drawn carriage, "Oh, careful. You're going too fast." Peter Teranda, "Who? Me or the horses?"
A soldier in the trenches, "Calvary stew." Another soldier, "We used to ride 'em and now we eat 'em."
Jeanette Sibirsky, "What exquisite jewelry." Madam Danchenoff, "I'm afraid they're just copies, my child." Ivan Danchenoff, "Yes, yes. We ate the originals... indirectly."
Michael Sibirsky, speaking of his wife, "Once I commanded the czar's own guard. Now she commands me."
The elderly Princess Natalya Petrovna asks Nicki Popoff to dance with her in Nicki's Parisian cafe. Nicki, "Oh, your highness. Well, and to think it took a revolution to bring us together."