The Wedding March | |
---|---|
Directed by | Erich von Stroheim |
Produced by |
Jesse Lasky Pat Powers Adolph Zukor |
Written by | Harry Carr |
Starring |
Erich von Stroheim Fay Wray George Fawcett George Nichols ZaSu Pitts Maude George |
Music by | Louis De Francesco Adolph Deutsch Vernon Duke J. S. Zamecnik |
Cinematography | Roy H. Klaffki, Ray Rennahan, William C. McGann, Hal Mohr, Ben F. Reynolds, Buster Sorenson, Harris Thorpe |
Edited by |
Frank E. Hull Josef von Sternberg |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date
|
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Running time
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113 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language |
Silent English intertitles |
Budget | $1,250,000 |
The Wedding March is a 1928 American silent romantic drama film written and directed by and starring Erich von Stroheim. It also stars Fay Wray and ZaSu Pitts. Paramount Pictures forced von Stroheim to create two films from the footage, the second being The Honeymoon (eventually re-edited back into one film for a re-release). The Honeymoon is now considered lost, the only known copy destroyed in a fire in France in 1959.
In 2003, The Wedding March was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."
In Vienna in 1914, Prince Nicki is the scion of a rundown noble family and is commander of a cavalry regiment.
During a parade in front of the St. Stephen's Cathedral, Nicki notices beautiful innkeeper's daughter Mitzi in the crowd. Mitzi is eating with her family as her butcher fiance Schani grotesquely spits and embarrasses the entire family. Nicki and Mitzi flirt with each during the parade. During a gun salute Nicki's horse becomes afraid and injures Mitzi, who is sent to the hospital. Nicki also has Schani arrested at this time. Nicki visits Mitzi at the hospital and later in the pub where she works as a harpist. They begin to go on dates and fall in love.
Knowing of his family's financial troubles, Nicki is approached by a wealthy factory owner to marry his daughter Cecilia in exchange for a noble title. Nicki initially refuses but finally agrees to marry Cecilia. Schani is released from prison and finds out about the relationship between Mitzi and Nicki, and shows Mitzi a newspaper article announcing the marriage of Nicki and Cecilia. Mitzi remains calm and tells Schani that she hates him and still loves Nicki. Enraged Schani tries to rape Mitzi, but his father prevents it at the last moment. Schani decides to murder Nicki after the wedding.
The marriage of Nicki and Cecilia is celebrated. Schani is waiting for Nicki with a gun at the church. At the last moment Mitzi appears and promises to marry Schani if he does not kill Nicki. Nicki and Cecilia get into their the coach and drive away.