Aka - Die Blume von Hawaii
This Weimar musical comedy is a complete mess, but it introduced me to Martha
Eggerth. One of those famous people who I had never heard of. She was born
in Budapest in 1912 and was a singing prodigy. While still a teenager she
began singing opera in concert halls and became a star overnight. Soon operettas
were being composed for her. But unlike our stereotype of female opera stars
as on the large side, she was slim, blonde and very lovely with a smile that
is ear to ear. So, film soon beckoned and she became a star in German cinema
during the 1930's. But on the horizon, there was Hitler and she was half
Jewish as was her husband, Jan Kiepura, who was also a huge opera star. They
skedaddled out of Germany and headed for America where they continued their
success on the stage. She was in a few films as well - For Me and My Gal
and Presenting Lily Mars, both with Judy Garland. She is pretty adorable
in this film, kind of kooky. In one song number she is so happy and has a
taste of champagne that she dances and sings a peppy song and knocks all
the furniture over.
She plays Susanne, a cigarette girl in a nightclub where the main entertainer
Jim Boy does a black face act with a black body chorus of girls. An American
attached to the US Embassy falls for her hard and she for him, but intrigue
breaks up their little romance. Two mysterious men are trying to get her
to go to Hawaii for some reason - so they pay Jim Boy a huge amount of money
to perform there as long as he takes Susanne. That's when she breaks into
that song. They also fake a letter to the American (Iván Petrovich)
that he has to go back home and then intercept his letter to her. Well, love
has a way of working out - in the movies anyway - and he has to go on a mission
to Hawaii where they take up with each other again.
But lo and behold, the Hawaiians have a plot underway to kick out the Americans
and they need Susanne. Because she is the Lost Queen of Hawaii! Lots of songs
of different styles, a bit of comedy, eccentricity splashed on everything
and a ridiculous plot. But enjoyable enough. Martha my dear was still performing
at 99 years old. She lived to 101 and passed away in 2013. It is directed
by Richard Oswald, who also had to leave Germany and settle in America where
he directed a few films.
