Love Time
Cast & Crew
James Tinling
"pat" Paterson
Nils Asther
Herbert Mundin
Harry Green
Henry B. Walthall
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In the nineteenth century, Emperor Francis 1st of Austria offers to reward his faithful courtier, Duke Johann von Hatzfeld, with anything he requests. Hatzfeld asks the emperor to restore to him his daughter, who was born after the emperor insisted that Hatzfeld separate from his wife, of whom he disapproved. Hatzfeld grows irate as he accuses the emperor of misleading him into believing that the girl, now nineteen-years-old, was dead, and Francis angrily dismisses him. Francis' advisor, Nicholas, counsels him to bring the girl, Valerie, to court, for she has the makings of a fine lady. Unaware of her true parentage, Valerie lives a simple life in the country with her foster mother, Countess Bertaud, and the countess's daughter Charlotte. One afternoon, Valerie hears beautiful music coming from a small house on the grounds of a neighboring nobleman. She meets the pianist and advises him to play with more feeling, for he is playing a piece by Franz Schubert, her favorite composer. Unknown to Valerie, the man is Schubert, and he playfully keeps his identity a secret. After she leaves, Valerie finds out Franz's identity from her friend, gamekeeper Istvan, who tells her that Franz was dismissed from his position as music teacher to Caroline, the nobleman's daughter, when he fell in love with her. Valerie visits Franz the next day, and he teaches her to play the violin part of a new song he has written. Valerie is saddened by Franz's still-evident longing for Caroline, but as a week passes, he forgets Caroline and returns Valerie's affections. When Franz is evicted, he tells Valerie that he must return to Vienna. She begs him to take her along and, despite his objections, she is determined to go. When she returns home to pack, however, she overhears Nicholas telling Countess Bertaud that Valerie must leave at once to begin a proper education. Valerie runs away, but when she goes to meet Franz, she finds a note from him saying that it would be unfair of him to take her away because he is so poor. After Franz returns to Vienna, he tries to charm his landlady, Hilda Obenbiegler, into giving him more time to pay his rent, while Valerie makes the journey to the big city. She is almost arrested by the emperor's soldiers, who are looking for her, but she escapes with the help of Willie, Hilda's husband and Franz's friend. Willie takes her to Franz, who is desperately ill, and she nurses him back to health. Franz is delighted to be reunited with her, but the snoopy Hilda reveals her presence to the emperor. At the palace, Valerie pleads with Hatzfeld and Francis to let her marry Franz, but they refuse. Valerie convinces Francis to hear Franz's music, and Hatzfeld goes to his garret, where he offers the composer Francis' patronage if he will stop seeing Valerie. Despite his reluctance, Franz agrees to break with Valerie and give a concert for the emperor. On the night of the concert, the court is thrilled by Franz's music, but Valerie is dismayed by his coldness to her. She is as determined as ever though and goes to Franz's garret, where the reunited sweethearts embrace as Hatzfeld and Francis, who have followed her, realize that they cannot interfere with true love.
Director
James Tinling
Cast
"pat" Paterson
Nils Asther
Herbert Mundin
Harry Green
Henry B. Walthall
Lucien Littlefield
Henry Kolker
Albert Conti
Herman Bing
Roger Imhof
James Burke
Josephine Whittell
Earle Foxe
Georgia Caine
Mary Blackford
Paul England
Margaret Morgan
Montague Shaw
Landers Stevens
Jed Prouty
Anders Van Haden
Ed Cecil
Wilfred Lucas
Margaret Mann
Crew
Richard Carroll
Gordon Carveth
Sidney Clare
Chic Collins
William Conselman
William Conselman
Duncan Cramer
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Charles Hall
Phil Haller
Henry Johnson
Samuel Kaylin
Jeanette Lauman
George Leverett
Cliff Lyons
Helen Marlowe
Paul Martin
Arthur Miller
Ernest Miller
Wilhelm Müller
Edward E. Paramore Jr.
Harvey Perry
Ione Reed
Ludwig Rellstab
Royer
Friedrich Rükert
Sally Sandlin
Georg Phillip Schmidt
Franz Schubert
Bert Sebell
William Shakespeare
Lynn Starling
Lynn Starling
John Stone
Alex Troffey
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Serenade, which was also the title of Richard Carroll's unpublished, uncopyrighted story. Information in the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Theater Arts Library indicates that although early news and publicity stories in newspapers and trade papers indicated that the story was written Rex Beach, the story was only submitted to Beach for suggested improvements, and then it was "re-written by Carroll and Nicholas Gyory discarding all suggestions made by Rex Beach." Legal counsel George Wasson noted, "It was impossible for me to determine whether or not any material had been included by Rex Beach and Nicholas Gyory, although both parties believed the story was primarily Richard Carroll's idea and development.
According to Hollywood Reporter news items, Paul Martin was originally scheduled to direct the film. The legal records, news items and reviews note that Lilian Harvey was originally cast as "Valerie." Harvey's participation in the picture was preempted by a dispute with Fox which ended with her being released from her contract with the studio. Variety commented, "This is the picture which walked Lilian Harvey off the Fox lot. She didn't like it. Pat Paterson makes the girl a too demure characterization and completely devitalizes it." The legal records indicate that William Austin was originally signed for the role of "Lieutenant Friedrich." Hollywood Reporter production charts include June Vlasek in the cast, but her participation in the completed film has not been confirmed. The operettas Blossom Time and Das Dreimaederlhaus were also based on the life of Franz Schubert, as were numerous European pictures and a 1941 United Artists release entitled New Wine, directed by Reinhold Schunzel and starring Alan Curtis and Ilona Massey.
