The Wedding March
1
Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky
(by arrangement with P. A. Powers)
present
THE WEDDING
MARCH
An
Erich von Stroheim Production
with
ERICH VON STROHEIM
and FAY WRAY
Written by Erich von Stroheim and Harry Carr
2
In its entirety an
ERICH VON STROHEIM
Creation
3
O Love * * without thee * *
Marriage is a sacrilege
and mockery!
4
DEDICATED
to the true lovers
of the world.
E.vS.
5
The Players
Nicki ... Erich von Stroheim
Mitzi ............. Fay Wray
Cecelia ......... ZaSu Pitts
Schani ........ Mathew Betz
6
Prince von Wildeliebe-Rauffenburg
........ George Fawcett
Princess von Wildeliebe-Rauffenburg
........ Maude George
Schweisser ........ George Nicholls
Mitzi's mother ........ Dale Fuller
Mitzi's father ..... Cesare Gravina
Schani's father ....... Hughie Mack
7
VIENNA -- Anno Domini
-- 1914 --
8
-- with its oldest guard-
ian, St. Stephen's --
9
-- guiding -- comforting
-- consoling --
10
-- and its so contrasting
symbol, the "Iron Man"
-- a remnant of the
Middle Ages --
11
-- heartless -- soulless
-- threatening --
12
-- where Hapsburg's
throne stands --
Glorious and Proud.
13
The town -- that gave
the world Beethoven
-- Mozart -- Schubert
-- Haydn --
14
The town of waltzes,
laughter and of pure,
sweet love --
15
-- Vienna -- with a code
of morals all its own.
16
In the shadow of the
Emperor's Palace --
aloof, feudal, imposing
but crumbling --
17
-- stands the residence
of the Princes von
Wildeliebe-Rauffenburg.
18
Maria Immaculata, Prin-
cess von Wildeliebe-
Rauffenburg.
19
"Your Highness, today
is 'Corpus Christi' --"
20
"All right!"
21
Prince Ottokar von
Wildeliebe-Rauffen-
burg --
22
-- His Majesty's Cham-
berlain and Lord Steward
-- General of Cavalry --
Captain of all Guards.
23
"-- and get the hell
out!"
24
"Well -- say it!"
25
"Come on -- say it!"
26
"You -- ugly old fool!"
27
"If you could only see
yourself!"
28
"It's pitiful!"
29
The "love child" of this
ideal, blissful union
slumbered still.
30
His Highness, Nicholas
Ehrhart Hans Karl
Maria, Prince von Wilde-
liebe-Rauffenburg --
31
-- His Majesty's Cham-
berlain and First Lieuten-
ant of the Imperial and
Royal Life Guard-
Mounted.
32
"Your Highness, today
is 'Corpus Christi' --"
33
"Why this unusual
pleasure?"
34
"I thought -- I might
drive over with you,
Papa!"
35
"If you think you can
touch me -- forget
about it!"
36
"I'm in a terrible hole!"
37
"Blow out your brains! -"
38
"-- or --"
39
"-- marry money!"
40
"Well -- I'll see Mama
about it!"
41
"How much does the
hand kiss cost this
morning?"
42
"No joking, Mother --
I'm in a terrible hole!"
43
"Stop your poker and
your expensive girlies -"
44
"-- or marry money!"
45
"Marry money -- that's
all I hear!"
46
"I'll tell you what
we'll do --"
47
"-- select the bride,
Mother -- and I'll
walk down the aisle
with her --"
48
"-- to the Wedding
March -- tomorrow!"
49
"But remember -- she
must have money --"
50
"-- mountains of money!"
51
"Meanwhile, if you can
let me have a little --"
52
Then, Corpus Christi --
the greatest religious
and military celebration
of the year.
53
"Just stick around me,
folks!"
54
"That's the truth, Frau
Schrammell -- my boy,
Schani, always gets
the best place!"
55
"You said it, Herr Eberle
-- the girl that gets
him for a husband is
lucky!"
56
"Did you get that --
Mitzi?"
57
"Didn't you hear your
mother say you're
lucky?"
58
"Are you harpin' again
on the same old
thing?"
59
"What do you think I'm
hangin' 'round you fer
-- huh?"
60
"I thought we came
here to see the Pro-
cession -- an' not to
talk!"
61
"Well -- if Herr Schani
wants to talk about it
now --"
62
"-- I don't see why you
shouldn't wanta!"
63
"Saphead! You're goin'
to lose the best chance
you'll ever have!"
64
"You don't want our
Mitzi to marry a man
she doesn't love?"
65
"Ain't that a nice view?"
66
"Ain't we got no right
to see nothin' a-tall?"
67
"That's one o' them
swells that don't
do nothin' --"
68
"-- lots o' gold tassels
an' plumes --"
69
"-- and we're payin'
fer it!"
70
"But he looks nice --
don't he?"
71
"Just gimme his mas-
querade -- an' watch
me!"
72
"Don't they smell
sweet?"
73
"I ain't smellin' nothin'
-- but the stink o'
horses!"
74 [in small type]
"-- Married? --"
75
"If it weren't for old
man Schweisser's
corn-plaster business --"
76
"-- his daughter would
not be such a bad
match for Nicki --
would she --?"
77
"-- and old Schweisser
himself is so very
ambitious."
78
"I'd thought of it
myself --"
79
"-- but -- the girl
limps!"
80
"What's a little limp --
with twenty millions!"
81
"Is she badly hurt?"
82
"You are under arrest!"
83
Then, the Procession
-- the Procession
that Mitzi had waited
so long to see.
84
There is no such thing
as accident. It is Fate
-- mis-named.
85
"My father."
86
"How are you?"
87
"Much better - Thanks!"
88
"I don't know how
to thank you."
89
"-- Herr Oberleutnant!"
90
"My name is -- Nicki."
91
"Nicki -- what?"
92
"I'll bet you have a
name -- a kilometer
long!"
93
"That's just it!"
94
"So let's make it --
just Nicki!"
95
"I thought -- you
might like them!"
96
"I might like them!"
97
"-- the best I ever had
-- was when father
bought for me --"
98
"-- a five-cent bag of
jelly beans!"
99
Then, dreamy Nussdorf.
100
"I ain't goin' to let that
skirt-chaser ruin
Mitzi's chances with
Schani!"
101
After the guests had
gone.
102
"You owe me a kiss,
Mitzi."
103
"You blew out the
match!"
104
"Our beautiful 'Blue
Danube'!"
105
"Down there -- the
'Danube-Maids' come
to the shore -- some-
times --"
106
"-- to see them means
happiness - an' luck -"
107
"-- an' love!"
108
"I never saw them -- an'
I s'pose I never will!"
109
"But I'm satisfied just
so I don't ever see
the 'Iron Man'!"
110
"What do they say
about him?"
111
"They say -- some
nights he comes to
life --"
112
"-- an' drags away a
'Danube-Maid'!"
113
"An' to the ones who
see him --"
114
"-- comes Sorrow --
Grief -- an' Death!"
115
"You believe that,
Mitzerl?"
116
"It is nothing -- but the
people's foolish fancies!"
117
"That's my Fairy
Coach --"
118
"-- where I dream an'
wish I'd see the 'Danube-
Maids'!"
119
"Perhaps I'll bring you
luck -- and we shall
see them!"
120
"A drive through
Paradise!"
121
"You were made for
love -- Mitzerl!"
122
"You mustn't say the
things to me --"
123
"-- that you say to
your fine ladies --"
124
"-- because I might
believe them."
125
"I want you to believe
them!"
126
"An' -- you'll come
again?"
127
A few days afterward,
Schani was released
from prison.
128
"Jailbird!"
129
"-- Seen Mitzi yet?"
130
"The way this woman-
hound's been chasin'
Mitzi is somethin'
awful!"
131
"Well -- he believes in
workin' fast!"
132
"She's out in the buggy!"
133
"Oh -- so that's the
way you feel --
huh?"
134
"-- that's what I get
fer goin' to jail fer
you!"
135
"You mushin' 'round
with this here sow-
bone!"
136
"Just let me get my
hands on him!"
137
"I'll kick his glass-eyed
mug to goulash! --"
138
Then, in that little
crooked house --
in that little crooked
street.
139
"-- a kiss all around
-- and then I leave
you."
140
"Are you leaving before
old Schweisser's party?"
141
"Tonight I crave apple
blossoms!"
142
"Apple blossoms! What
do you mean?"
143
"I'm going to meet a
real nice girl."
144
"At this hour of the
morning?"
145
"It's when her parents
snore the loudest!"
146
"I was afraid you would
not come."
147
"I was on duty -- I
couldn't get away!"
148
"This-h is -- my party!"
149
"-- now listen -- High-
ness -- I -- h-have -
a -- p-proposition --"
150
"-- y-you -- h-have
-- a n-nice son!"
151
"-- a-an' -- n-no -
m-money! --"
152
"-- u-understand? --"
153
"-- a-an' -- I h-have
-- a n-nice --
g-girl --"
154
"-- a-and -- l-lots -
o-o' -- m-money!!"
155
"-- u-understand?? --"
156
"-- N-Now -- h-how
-- a-about -- m-my
d-daughter --"
157
"-- a-an' -- Y-YOUR
-- son --?"
158
"-- u-understand?? --"
159
"I-I'll -- fix -- your
-- s-son -- u-up -
right."
160
"-- u-understand?? --"
161
"How much do I get?"
162
"Five Hunder' Thousan'
Kronen!"
163
"HOW MUCH?"
164
"One million kronen!"
165
"-- t-thass -- a --
gentleman's - agree-
ment --"
166
"-- u-understand?? --"
167
"-- an' you will come
again?"
168
"-- an' love me always?"
169
"Always!"
170
"The 'Iron Man'!"
171
"Nothing but shadows,
dear -- and fog!"
172
It was mid-morning
before Schweisser
dragged himself home
-- to face his daughter.
173
"I -- I was with His
Highness Prince von
Wildeliebe-Rauffen-
burg --"
174
"We have arranged for
you and his son Prince
Nicki --"
175
"-- to get married!"
176
"But I have never even
met the Prince!"
177
"You will -- soon."
178
"How could he be in
love with me?"
179
"You have twenty
millions!"
180
"Money couldn't make
a man feel love!"
181
"Don't be a silly little
goose -- love will
come -- in time."
182
"Princess Cecelia --
doesn't that sound
nice?"
183
"A limping Princess!"
184
"I presume you even
proposed to the
young lady --"
185
"-- or did you leave
that insignificant
little detail to me?"
186
"Did it ever occur to
you that I might be
in love with some-
body else?"
187
"You -- in love?"
188
"You idiot!"
189
"Of course, you two
wouldn't know --
but some people do
fall in love -- really!"
190
"But marriage is one
thing and love
another!"
191
"N'est-ce pas --
Ottokar?"
192
"I am tired of this
nonsense!"
193
"I command!"
194
"The wedding is on the
First of June!"
195
"How dare he talk to
me that way!"
196
"But, Nicki --"
197
"-- this would mean so
much money!"
198
"How much?"
199
"A huge fortune!"
200
"Seems to me that girl
limps -- on both legs!"
201
Confess yourself to
Heaven --
Repent what is past --
Avoid what is to come.
202
"Peace be with you,
my child --"
203
"-- to err is human --
to forgive divine!"
204
Then, Nature mourned
-- the birds were
hushed -- it rained,
rained, and rained.
205
"Your father wants you
at the Inn, Schani."
206
"I wanta show you
somethin' --"
207
"-- here's good news o'
your Prince Charmin'!"
208
"Now he's gave you the
kick -- how about an
honest offer?"
209
"There ain't many guys
as broadminded as
me!"
210
"Let's get hooked up
proper, an' for good!"
211
"I love you -- Mitzerl!"
212
"I hate you!"
213
"I hate you!"
214
"I love him!"
215
"And I always will!"
216
"I'll kill that dirty dog --"
217
"-- when he comes out
o' church today!"
218
O Love -- without thee --
Marriage is a sacrilege
and mockery!
219
"-- until death doth
you part!"
220
"Nicki --"
221
"-- I love these apple
blossoms."
222
"So do I!"
223
"I -- I'll marry you!"
224
"So -- I'm good enough
now? --"
225
"Please don't! I'll marry
you --"
226
"-- honest I will!"
227
"All right -- we'll get
married!"
228
"Say your last 'Ta-Ta'
to him!"
229
"Nicki! --"
230
"Who was that sweet
girl -- in tears? --"
231
"-- and that awful
looking man?"
232
"I -- I never saw them
before! --"
233
"How beautiful -- these
apple blossoms are! --"
234
"Won't they always
remind you -- ?"
235
"Yes -- always!"
The
End
Home