''Interlude'' is a 1957 American

CinemaScope CinemaScope is an anamorphic format, anamorphic lens series used, from 1953 to 1967, and less often later, for shooting widescreen films that, crucially, could be screened in theatres using existing equipment, albeit with a lens adapter. Its cr ...

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

romance film Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...

directed by

Douglas Sirk Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; 26 April 1897 – 14 January 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s. However, he also directed comedies, westerns, and war f ...

and starring

June Allyson June Allyson (born Eleanor Geisman; October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Allyson began her career in 1937 as a dancer in short subject films and on Broadway in 1938. She signed with MGM in 1943 ...

and

Rossano Brazzi Rossano Brazzi (18 September 1916 – 24 December 1994) was an Italian actor, director and screenwriter. He was known for playing roles that typified the suave, romantic leading man archetype, both in his native country and in Hollywood. ...

. The film is a reworking of ''

When Tomorrow Comes "When Tomorrow Comes" is a song recorded by British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written by group members Annie Lennox, David A. Stewart and guest keyboardist Pat Seymour. With this single and its parent album ''Revenge'', Lennox and Stewar ...

'', a 1939 film starring

Irene Dunne Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during Classical Hollywood cinema, the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she perf ...

and

Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...

. Both films were based on a novel by James M. Cain. Sirk cited ''Serenade'' as the title of that book, but in March 2014, in a long article for

Senses of Cinema ''Senses of Cinema'' is a quarterly online film magazine founded in 1999 by filmmaker Bill Mousoulis. Based in Melbourne, Australia, ''Senses of Cinema'' publishes work by film critics from all over the world, including critical essays, career ...

in which he discussed all three works, critic Tom Ryan points out that Kristopher Mecholsky reveals that both films are based on Cain's '' The Root of His Evil''. The film was later remade and released in 1968 under the same

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify their generation, official position, military rank, professional or academic qualification, or nobility. In some languages, titles may be ins ...

. Directed by

Kevin Billington Kevin Billington (12 June 1934 – 13 December 2021) was a British film director, who worked in the theatre, film and television from the 1960s. Biography The son of a factory worker,Fred Hauptfuhre''People'', 13:12, 24 March 1980 and educated ...

it starred

Oskar Werner Oskar Werner (; born Oskar Josef Bschließmayer; 13 November 1922 – 23 October 1984) was an Austrian stage and cinema actor who reached international fame. His most prominent roles include two 1965 films, '' The Spy Who Came In from the Cold' ...

Barbara Ferris Barbara Gillian Ferris (3 October 1936 – 23 May 2025) was an English actress and fashion model. She appeared in a number of films and productions for television, and is possibly best remembered as Dinah, the young woman who eloped with Dave ...

and

Virginia Maskell Virginia Elizabeth Maskell (27 February 1936 – 25 January 1968), was an English actress. Biography Virginia Maskell was born in Shepherd's Bush, London, daughter of William Eric Brands Maskell, of Little Down, Duncton, Sussex. After the ou ...

Plot

Helen Banning, an American, moves to

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, Germany to begin a new job with a cultural agency. She meets a handsome doctor, Morley Dwyer, but lets him know she is reluctant to begin any new relationships. Helen's new boss Prue Stubbins introduces her to symphony conductor Tonio "Tony" Fischer, then, concerned about the upcoming performance, asks Helen to follow him when he abruptly leaves the concert hall. At the estate of a countess, Irena Reinhart, she finds Tony playing piano for a woman, Reni, unaware it is his wife. Tony is distraught because Reni is mentally ill, given no chance to improve. He becomes attracted to the American woman and invites her to accompany him to

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

, Austria for a day, which leads to a few intimate hours together. She is later furious after discovering he is a married man. Morley, aware that Helen has had an affair, proposes marriage to her anyway. The countess, on the other hand, urges Helen to follow her heart and find happiness with him. Reni turns up at the concert to beseech Helen not to take her husband away from her. Back at the estate, Reni attempts suicide and is rescued by Helen from a lake. Helen permanently ends her relationship with Tony and decides to return home.

Cast

as Helen Banning *

as Tonio Fischer *

Marianne Koch Marianne Koch (; born 19 August 1931) is a German retired actress, best known for her appearances in Spaghetti Westerns and adventure films of the 1960s. She later worked as a television host and as a physician. Career Between 1950 and 1971 ...

as Reni Fischer (as Marianne Cook) *

Françoise Rosay Françoise Rosay (; born Françoise Bandy de Nalèche; 19 April 1891 – 28 March 1974) was a French opera singer, diseuse,''Design'', Volume 9 1965 p. 24 and actress who enjoyed a film career of over sixty years and who became a legendary figure ...

as Countess Irena Reinhart *

Keith Andes Keith Andes (born John Charles Andes, July 12, 1920 – November 11, 2005) was an American actor. He is known for films such as '' Blackbeard the Pirate'' (1952) and '' Clash by Night'' (1952). Early life Andes was born to Mr. and Mrs. William ...

as Dr. Morley Dwyer *

Frances Bergen Frances Bergen (née Westerman; September 14, 1922 – October 2, 2006) was an American actress and fashion model. She was the wife of ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and the mother of actress Candice Bergen and film and television editor Kris B ...

as Gertrude Kirk * Lisa Helwig as Housekeeper * Herman Schwedt as Henig * Anthony Tripoli as Dr. Smith * John Stein as Dr. Stein *

Jane Wyatt Jane Waddington Wyatt ( ; August 12, 1910 – October 20, 2006) was an American actress. She starred in a number of Hollywood films, such as Frank Capra's '' Lost Horizon'', but is likely best known for her role as homemaker and mother Margaret ...

as Prue Stubbins

Production

The movie was filmed entirely on location between 18 June and mid-August 1956 in Germany and Austria with studio work filmed at the Geiselgasteig Studios in Munich. The concert scenes were filmed at the Kongress-Saal of the

Deutsches Museum The Deutsches Museum (''German Museum'', officially (English: ''German Museum of Masterpieces of Science and Technology'')) in Munich, Germany, is the world's largest museum of science museum, science and technology museum, technology, with a ...

. Schloss Höhenried, in

Bernried am Starnberger See Bernried am Starnberger See is a municipality in the Weilheim-Schongau district, in Bavaria, Germany. It lies on the shore of Starnberger See Lake Starnberg, or ''Starnberger See'' ) — called Lake Würm or ''Würmsee'' until 1962 — is German ...

was used as Tonio's castle. Other scenes were filmed in Munich at the Konigsplatz,

Schleissheim Palace The Schleißheim Palace () comprises three individual palaces in a grand Baroque park in the village of Oberschleißheim, a suburb of Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The palace was a summer residence of the Bavarian rulers of the House of Wittelsbac ...

and Amerika Haus (at the time located in the former

Führerbau The Führerbau ("the Führer's building") is a historically significant building at Arcisstrasse 12 in Maxvorstadt, Munich. It was built between 1933 and 1937, during the Nazi Germany, Nazi period, and used extensively by Adolf Hitler. Unlike ma ...

), with additional scenes shot in

, Austria. Daniel Fuchs and Franklin Coen were responsible for the screenplay, with Inez Cook undertaking the adaption. All of the orchestral music heard in the film was recorded by the Kurt Graunke Symphony Orchestra, with the exception of the music that is heard during the scenes that take place in Salzburg, which were recorded by the Mozarteum's Camerate Academica Orchestra. It premiered on 18 September 1957 in Los Angeles. The German premiere took place on 18 February 1958. It was released in France with the title ''Les Amants de Salzbourg '', in Germany under the title ''Der letzte Akkord '' ("The Last Chord") and in Italy under the title ''Interludio''. For Marianne Koch this film was one of her two Hollywood productions in 1956 (both under the slightly Americanized pseudonym Marianne Cook). In the German release, she was credited under her real name.

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 1957 films 1957 romantic drama films CinemaScope films American romantic drama films Remakes of American films Films directed by Douglas Sirk Films based on works by James M. Cain Films produced by Ross Hunter Universal Pictures films Films about classical music and musicians Films about adultery Films scored by Frank Skinner 1950s English-language films 1950s American films Films set in Salzburg Films set in Munich Films set in Germany Films shot in Germany Films shot in Austria English-language romantic drama films

Plot

Cast

Production

See also

References

Further reading

External links