Wedding March (1944 film)

Wedding March is a 1944 American historical musical film directed by Ernst Lubitsch, his last completed film. Set in Vienna, Austria, during the era of Franz Joseph I, the film stars Erich von Stroheim, Franchot Tone, and Loretta Young.

The film tells the story of a young aristocratic officer, Prince Nicki (Franchot Tone), who is compelled by his family to marry for money in order to save them from financial ruin. He is torn between his duty to his family and his love for a poor musician's daughter, Mitzi (Loretta Young). Erich von Stroheim plays Prince Nicki's stern and controlling father, Prince Ottokar.

Wedding March is notable for its lavish production design, its use of operetta-style music, and for its exploration of themes of class, duty, and love. Lubitsch originally intended the film to be a two-part epic, but RKO Pictures, facing financial difficulties, cut the film and scrapped plans for the second part, tentatively titled The Honeymoon. Only about half of the intended footage was ultimately released. The released film ends abruptly, leaving many plot threads unresolved.

Despite its compromised form, Wedding March is considered by many critics to be a significant work in Lubitsch's filmography. Its themes, visual style, and acting performances have been praised, even though the unfinished nature of the story is widely acknowledged. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White.