Reunion in Vienna (1933) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch

 

Reunion in Vienna (1933) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch 

American Film, Drama, Romance

Academy Awards, 1934- Nominee: Best Cinematography

There is a distinct kind of magic that Hollywood captured during the brief, unrestricted era before the strict enforcement of the Production Code. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer leaned heavily into sophisticated European flavor, and few films of that period encapsulate lavish romantic cynicism quite like Reunion in Vienna. Released in 1933 and directed by Sidney Franklin, the movie brought Robert Emmet Sherwood's successful stage play to the silver screen with an intoxicating blend of aristocratic melancholy and lighthearted comedy. More on Wikipedia or Mubi. 

Pre-Code Elegance: The Story Behind Reunion in Vienna 

At the heart of the story is Archduke Rudolf von Habsburg, played with magnificent theatrical flair by John Barrymore. Once accustomed to absolute luxury and imperial power in Vienna, the archduke has been stripped of his status and reduced to making a modest living as a taxi driver in exile. When he learns that his former fellow aristocrats are organizing a secret reunion in Vienna, he sneaks back into the city, determined to recapture the grandeur of his past and, more importantly, the affections of his former lover. 

That former lover is Elena Krug, portrayed with poised grace by Diana Wynyard. Elena has smoothly transitioned into a very different life, having married Dr. Anton Krug, a brilliant and grounded psychoanalyst played brilliantly by Frank Morgan. Dr. Krug is entirely aware of his wife's passionate history with the eccentric archduke, handling the explosive situation not with jealous rage, but with modern psychological detachment and a calm, intellectual curiosity that forms the comic backbone of the narrative.  

Barrymore treats the role as a playground for his larger-than-life screen presence. His Archduke Rudolf is dramatic, impulsive, utterly arrogant, yet impossibly charming. Watching a grand historical figure grapple with the indignities of a changing modern world provides both sharp social commentary and genuinely funny moments. The chemistry between Barrymore and Wynyard carries the emotional weight, shifting fluidly between the nostalgic ghosts of a dying empire and the practical realities of 1930s Europe. 

While the film was a prestige production backed by heavyweights like Irving Thalberg and featured gorgeous cinematography by George Folsey that earned an Academy Award nomination, it originally had a modest box office run. Yet, looking back from a modern perspective, Reunion in Vienna stands out as a glittering time capsule. It preserves the unique theatricality of early sound cinema, anchored by performances that remind us why the Barrymore name remains legendary in American film history. 

The Good

On the positive side, the film's greatest triumph lies in its unapologetic embrace of sophisticated adult comedy. Because the rigid Production Code had not yet clamped down on Hollywood storytelling, the movie explores infidelity, romance, and ego with a breezy, continental cynicism that would have been entirely impossible just a few years later. Frank Morgan's character handles his wife's former lover with a psychologically progressive nonchalance that feels remarkably modern, proving that pre-Code cinema was often far more nuanced regarding human relationships than the decades of censorship that followed. Furthermore, the towering presence of John Barrymore elevates every single frame he inhabits. His performance as the deposed Archduke Rudolf is a masterclass in theatrical bravura, capturing the tragicomedy of a man whose entire universe has evaporated overnight. Supported by the luminous Diana Wynyard and stunning cinematography that earned an Academy Award nomination, the production looks and feels like pure Hollywood royalty.

The Bad 

However, the film stumbles when it trips over its own theatrical origins. Because it was adapted from a successful stage play, the narrative relies heavily on talky drawing-room dialogue rather than visual storytelling. Modern viewers might find that the pacing drags during extended conversational sequences, as the movie struggles to break free from the invisible boundaries of the proscenium arch. Additionally, the central romance asks a great deal of the audience's sympathy. Archduke Rudolf is delightfully eccentric to watch from a safe distance, but his relentless pursuit of a married woman is steeped in an entitlement that can occasionally grate on modern sensibilities. When balanced against the grounded, deeply reasonable character played by Morgan, the romantic nostalgia for a fallen aristocracy sometimes feels like cheering for the wrong team.