Born to Sing (1962)
"Almost Angels" (original title)

Supported avidly by his mother and more reluctantly at first by his father, a working-class Austrian boy joins the Vienna Choirboys, where he proves to be unusually talented. The standard ... See full summary »

Director:

Steve Previn

Writers:

Vernon Harris, Robert A. Stemmle (original story)

Stars:

Vincent Winter, Sean Scully, Peter Weck

Cast

Credited cast:
Vincent Winter	...	Tony Fiala
Sean Scully	...	Peter Schaefer
Peter Weck	...	Max Heller
Hans Holt	...	Director Eisinger
Bruni Löbel	...	Mother Fiala
Fritz Eckhardt	...	Father Fiala
Denis Gilmore	...	Friedel Schmidt
Hennie Scott	...	Ferdie
Gunther Philipp	...	Radio Announcer
Hermann Furthmosek	...	Choirmaster
Hans Christian	...	Choirmaster
Walter Regelsberger	...	Choirmaster
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Heinz Grohmann	...	Music Teacher
Heidi Grübl	...	Seamstress
Bernard Hindinger	...	Felix Meinl

Storyline

Supported avidly by his mother and more reluctantly at first by his father, a working-class Austrian boy joins the Vienna Choirboys, where he proves to be unusually talented. The standard initiation ordeals which new boys must endure at the hands of their seniors are intensified in his case because he has aroused the jealousy of Peter, the head chorister, by singing a solo which Peter had long sung himself. The fact is that Peter's voice is breaking, and with a broken voice often comes a broken heart. But, encouraged by the director and all the boys, Peter begins to develop in a new role as composer and conductor.

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Plot Keywords:

boy | austrian | singing | conductor | father son relationship | 

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Taglines:

BOYSterous DOGS and the DOGgondest BOYS ...together they spell FUN! [double bill with re-release of "Lady and the Tramp"]

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Genres:

Family | Comedy | Music

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 September 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Akár az angyalok

Filming Locations:

Vienna, Austria

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On its first (and possibly only) theatrical run, this film was shown as the second feature on a double bill with the 1962 re-release of Lady and the Tramp.

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Goofs

The program for the Sydney, Australia concert misspells Sydney as Sidney.

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Quotes

Peter Schaefer: Bet I can beat you to the top.
Tony Fiala: Bet you can't.

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Connections

Edited into Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color: Almost Angels: Part 1 (1965)

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Soundtracks

"Emperor Waltz"
Written by Johann Strauß

User Reviews

A classic Disney story

Walt Disney personally supervised the filming of "Almost Angels" and in so doing, invested the film with his own personal magic. Among other requirements, the central staircase at the Vienna Choir Boy's home in Augarten Park, Vienna, had to be changed, so that boys could enter into and disappear from scenes written into the script that called for a specific kind of stairs.

Although dated in some respects, the film is beautifully photographed, and of course the music is the main element, as well as the boys' charm. Actors chosen for the lead roles did not sing, but soundtrack and film were so well matched, most people are convinced they did!

An update of this classic is unnecessary, but it would be a terrific thing if this movie were re- mastered, digitized and released in DVD format!