The Wedding March (1928)

A young impoverished aristocrat falls in love with an inn-keepers daughter, but has to marry money.

Director:

Erich von Stroheim

Writers:

Harry Carr, Erich von Stroheim

Stars:

Erich von Stroheim, Fay Wray, Zasu Pitts

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Erich von Stroheim	...	Nicki / Prince Nickolas von Wildeliebe-Rauffenburg
Fay Wray	...	Mitzi / Mitzerl Schrammell
Matthew Betz	...	Schani Eberle - the Butcher
Zasu Pitts	...	Cecelia Schweisser
George Fawcett	...	Prince Ottokar von Wildeliebe Rauffenburg
Maude George	...	Princess Maria - Nicki's mother
George Nichols	...	Fortunat Schweisser - the Industrialist
Dale Fuller	...	Katerina Schrammel - Mitzi's mother
Hughie Mack	...	Eberle - the Wine-grower
Cesare Gravina	...	Martin Schrammell - Mitzi's father
Sidney Bracey	...	Navratil
Anton Vaverka	...	Emperor Franz-Josef
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tiny Jones	...	Small Woman at Corpus Christi Procession

Storyline

Prince Nikki, Lieutenant of the Guard in pre WWI Vienna, is flat broke, but the only advice he gets from his parents is either to shoot himself or to marry money. During the Chorpus Christi parade his horse accidentaly hurts poor Mitzi, the daughter of inn-keepers in a Viennese suburb, who is, according to the wishes of her parents, going to marry the butcher Schani. When Nikki visits her at the hospital, they fall in love, much to the dislike of her parents and Schani. Nikki's parents, meanwhile have arranged a prospective marriage with Cecilia, the limping daughter of a very rich non-aristocratic industrial. Due to the fact, that Nikki's father is a general in the Austrian-Hungarian Army, resitance is useless. When Mitzi, after hearing of it, is still refusing Schani's proposal, he vowes to shoot Nikki when he leaves the church.

---

Plot Keywords:

national film registry | love | parade | vienna austria | social satire | 

---

Taglines:

Dashing, Impetuous, Insolent. the playboy of Vienna- handsome, well-born, idol of the ladies- Prince Nicki, portrayed by Erich Von Stroheim. Riotous, color-splashed romance of Vienna. (Print Ad- Steuben Courier,((Bath, NY)) 1 March 1929)

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 1928 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hochzeitsmarsch

Filming Locations:

Selig Mission Zoo - 3800 Mission Road, Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) (musical score and sound effects) Silent

Color:

Color (2-strip Technicolor) (one sequence) Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

The opening scenes at the cathedral with Emperor Franz Josef (Anton Vaverka) utilized an actual carriage that had been owned by the real Emperor Franz Josef. The carriage was owned by Los Angeles-based Western Costume Co. It was also used in The Prisoner of Zenda (1922).

---

Quotes

Nicki: Marry money - - that's all I hear! I'll tell you what we'll do - - select the bride, Mother - - and I'll walk down the aisle with her - - to the "Wedding March" - - tomorrow! But remember - - she must have money - -*mountains* of money! Meanwhile, if you can let me have a little -...

---

Crazy Credits

In its entirety an ERICH VON STROHEIM Creation

---

Connections

Featured in Histoire(s) du cinéma: Les signes parmi nous (1999)

---

Soundtracks

PARADISE (The Love Theme)
Music by J.S. Zamecnik
Lyrics by Harry D. Kerr
Copyright 1928 Sam Fox Music Pub. Co.

User Reviews

Love and sorrow

Erich von Stroheim directs himself in the lead in this silent film from 1928.The Wedding March tells about Prince Nicki (von Stroheim) who has to marry money.That is his parents' order.Cecelia Schweisser (Zasu Pitts) is one with money so he ought to marry her.But Nicki has fell in love with someone else.That someone is inn-keeper's daughter Mitzi Schrammell (Fay Wray).And she ought to marry the nasty butcher Schani (Matthew Betz).Who gets who in the end? Watch the movie and find out.Erich von Stroheim knew how to make good movies.As a filmmaker he was a perfectionist so maybe that's the reason why the result was so good.The lovely leading lady is the gorgeous Fay Wray who went on and starred King Kong five years later.This was her first starring role.Matthew Betz makes a great villain.Zasu Pitts gives a very touching performance as the limping Cecelia.One interesting detail about the film is that it contains an early Technicolor episode at the Corpus Christi festival.This melodrama from 80 years back is a fine example of movie-making at its finest.These romantic movies that are made today have often got the lack of magic.That wasn't the case in the silent era.