Right to Happiness: A bit dusty, but Tauber still hits those notes

Should you watch this?

Honestly, only if you have a massive soft spot for early sound-era operetta fluff. If you need tight pacing or characters who act like real people, this is going to drive you up the wall. Right to Happiness is basically a postcard from a time when everyone sang their problems away.

The whole thing hangs on Richard Tauber. He’s a legit tenor, and when he opens his mouth, you get why the movie exists. Everything else? It’s just filler to get him to the next song.

The vibe

It’s got that specific, slightly stuffy 1930s European charm. You know the type—people standing in drawing rooms, looking worried about things that don't actually matter much. S.Z. Sakall is in here doing his usual thing, which is mostly just looking confused and lovable. He’s the only one who seems to know he’s in a bit of a silly movie.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Right to Happiness (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is this moment where the daughter is meant to be the emotional anchor, but she mostly just stands there looking wide-eyed. It reminded me a bit of the awkwardness in Bab's Burglar, where the kid is clearly just following off-screen directions.

Random thoughts

• The manager character is surprisingly patient. I would have quit the job ten minutes in.
• The lighting in the garden scene is bizarrely bright. Like, nuclear sunset bright.
• Is the girl actually in love with the musician, or is she just bored? The script doesn't care, so why should I?

It’s nowhere near as weird or haunting as Tonka Sibenice. It’s much safer. Maybe too safe. You can practically feel the director trying to make sure nobody gets too upset. It’s all very polite.

If you want a real, gritty look at human disappointment, go watch Sandra instead. But if you’ve had a long day and just want to hear a guy with a great voice sing about his feelings, this will do just fine. Just don't go looking for deep meaning. You won't find it under all that velvet.

The ending is so tidy it’s almost offensive. Everyone just sorts themselves out. I wish life worked like that. 🙄