Welcome to my weekly discussion of the films of the Walt Disney Studio. I’m proceeding mostly chronologically. The title comes from a quote from Walt, “I never called my work an ‘art’ It’s part of show business, the business of building entertainment.”

Title: Almost Angels

Year: 1962

Plot: Tony Fiala is a working-class boy whose greatest desire is to become a member of Vienna’s most famous choir. His father, however, wants his son to follow in his own footsteps as an engine driver. Unlike his loving and supportive mother, he sees no future for the boy in music. Despite the objections, Tony manages to join the Vienna Boys’ Choir. Once there, he meets Peter, who is the leading chorister and the most experienced solo voice.

When Peter finds out that Tony has a wonderful, clear treble voice, he feels threatened by the talented new boy. Peter’s jealousy will prompt him to do everything in his power to ruin his rival’s public performances and his good image as a boarder, to the point of endangering Tony’s life. The sabotage will eventually end but the breaking of Peter’s voice will change the events drastically.

During the performance of an opera, Peter’s voice cracks and he flees. The choir director suggests that Peter be taught how to conduct and become his assistant. Peter conducts the choir in singing the Blue Danube Waltz to rousing success.

Background: The child actors were actual members of the Vienna Boys Choir who perform several traditional Austrian songs throughout the motion picture. The filming took place in the Augarten Palais, the surroundings of Vienna and some other places of the beautiful Austrian landscape.

Cast:

Vincent Winter as Tony Fiala. He made his first film appearance at the age of six in The Little Kidnappers jointly winning an Academy Juvenile Award, along with Jon Whiteley. He appeared in several films as a child including Beyond This Place, Greyfriars Bobby, The Horse Without a Head, and The Three Lives of Thomasina (1963). As an adult, he continued to work in the film industry behind the scenes. He was a production manager on such films as For Your Eyes Only, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Superman II and III, and The Color Purple. Sean Scully as Peter Schaefer. His feature credits include Hunted in Holland, The Prince and The Pauper, Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow, A City’s Child, Sunday Too Far Away, Eliza Fraser, Departure, Heaven Tonight and The Doctor Blake Mysteries. He has appeared on television soap operas, having been a regular cast member on Bellbird, Sons and Daughters, Prisoner, and Sara Dane.

Music:

• “Kaiser-Walzer” (Emperor Waltz by Johann Strauss Jr.)
• “Willkommen” “Heidenröslein” (Little Rose of the Heath) by Heinrich Werner / Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• Unidentified piece for piano and oboe by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• “Der Kuckuck”
• “Wohlan die Zeit ist kommen” from Ludwig Schubart
• “Der Lindenbaum” (Am Brunnen vor dem Tore) by Franz Schubert / Wilhelm Müller
• “Kindersinfonie” (Toy Symphony by Leopold Mozart)
• “Tra la la, der Post ist da” (The Postman) by Rudolf Löwenstein
• “Omnes de Saba Venient” (Graduale by Joseph Eybler)
• “Lustig ist das Zigeunerleben”
• “Das Hennlein Weiss”
• “Guten Abend, Gute Nacht” (Good Evening, Good Night) by Johannes Brahms
• “Greensleeves” (Traditional English Song)
• “Ländler”
• “An Der Schönen Blauen Donau” (Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss Jr.)

Legacy: Although it had limited distribution in theatres, the movie aroused the interest in choral institutions and in the Vienna Boys’ Choir itself. Almost Angels was telecast broken up into two parts on the Disney anthology television series.

My take: The film showcases both beautiful locations and beautiful music, but there isn’t much of a plot

Available on Disney +?: Yes

Next Week: The Incredible Journey