Congress Dances: A 1931 Musical That is Basically a Giant Cake

If you want a serious history lesson about the 1815 Congress of Vienna, don't watch this movie. You will be very confused and probably annoyed.

But if you like the idea of a movie that feels like someone dropped a tray of pastries, then Congress Dances is perfect for you. It’s light, it’s loud, and it doesn't care about facts.

The story starts with Christl, a girl who sells gloves. She’s played by Lilian Harvey, who has enough energy to power a small city.

She throws a bouquet at Czar Alexander’s carriage. Usually, that gets you tackled by security, but here, it starts a romance.

Willy Fritsch plays the Czar. He has this very specific, slightly smug grin that makes him look like he’s always thinking about lunch.

Then there is Prince Metternich. He’s the guy trying to run the whole conference while everyone else is partying.

The Conrad Veidt Factor

Conrad Veidt plays Metternich. If you know him from The Silent Call or other moody films, it’s weird to see him here.

He’s usually scary or intense. Here, he’s just a sneaky politician who uses hidden doors and spies to keep track of everyone’s business.

He wants the Czar to stay distracted so he can win the negotiations. It's a pretty cynical plan for such a cheerful movie.

There’s a scene where he’s listening through a literal hole in the wall. It’s so over-the-top that I actually laughed out loud.

The movie is mostly famous for the song "Das gibt's nur einmal." It means "It only happens once."

Christl sings it while riding in a carriage through the countryside. The camera follows her for a long time without any cuts.

For a movie from 1931, this was huge. Most movies back then, like Interference, felt like they were filmed inside a closet.

This one feels like it has actual air in it. You can almost smell the dust and the horses.

• The hats are incredible. One looks like a literal wedding cake.
• The Czar has a body double who spends most of the movie eating cold meat.
• There is a lot of bowing. Like, a lot of bowing.
• The ending is kind of a bummer because Napoleon ruins the party.

I noticed one extra in the background of the ballroom scene who was definitely chewing gum. It felt very modern for 1815.

The double-Czar plot is pretty silly. Alexander uses a lookalike to go to the boring meetings so he can hang out with Christl.

The lookalike is played by the same actor, obviously. The scenes where they are both on screen are actually pretty well done for the time.

It’s much more entertaining than something like The Huntress of Men, which takes itself way too seriously.

There’s a weird bit where Christl is trying on gloves and the Czar just watches her. It goes on about 30 seconds too long and gets a little awkward.

You can tell the director, Erik Charell, came from the theater. Everything is big and colorful, even in black and white.

The sound quality is a bit scratchy. Sometimes the singing gets so high-pitched it made my dog tilt his head.

But the energy is what matters. It’s infectious.

If you hate musicals or operettas, you will probably want to turn this off after ten minutes. It is very zesty in that department.

Wait, what about the politics?

The movie doesn't really care about the treaty. It just wants to show people dancing and drinking champagne.

Metternich keeps getting frustrated because nobody wants to talk about borders. They just want to see the next show.

I think I felt more sympathy for the villain than I was supposed to. He just wanted to get his work done!

The romance between the Czar and Christl is cute, but it’s hard to believe. He’s a king, she’s a shopgirl, and they met because she threw a plant at him.

In real life, that’s a restraining order. In this movie, it’s true love.

The sets are massive. They look like they used every piece of wood in Germany to build those ballrooms.

One thing that bugged me was the lighting in the tavern scene. It was way too bright for a basement at night.

But hey, it’s 1931. They were probably just happy the cameras were working.

It’s definitely a better watch than Made in Heaven if you’re looking for style.

The movie ends abruptly because Napoleon escapes from Elba. The music stops and everyone has to go to war.

It’s a bit of a shock after two hours of singing. One minute you're eating cake, the next minute everyone is dying.

Still, I’d recommend it. It’s a weird little window into a time when movies were just starting to find their voice.

Just don't expect it to make much sense. Just enjoy the hats and the singing.

Also, look for the guy in the background during the parade who almost falls off his horse. Classic.