The Emperor Waltz
“Bing hits the high notes! Joan hits the love notes! You'll hit a happy note... in this king-sized muscial wonder!”
Synopsis
A brash American gramophone salesman tries to get Emperor Franz Joseph's endorsement in turn-of-the-century Austria.
Top Cast
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Bing Crosby
Virgil Smith
Joan Fontaine
Johanna Augusta Franziska
Roland Culver
Baron Holenia
Lucile Watson
Princesse Bitotska
Richard Haydn
l'empereur François-Joseph
Harold Vermilyea
Chamberlain
Sig Ruman
Dr. Zwieback
Julia Dean
Archduchess Stephanie
Bert Prival
Chauffeur
Alma Macrorie
Inn Proprietress
Roberta Jonay
Chambermaid
John Goldsworthy
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 2, 1948
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$3.8M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$8M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
2.11x
+$4.2M net gain
Theatrical Status
Profitable
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Billy Wilder
- Screenplay & Story
- Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder
- Original Score
- Victor Young
- Original Title
- The Emperor Waltz
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 46m
- Production Budget
- $3.8M
- Worldwide Gross
- $8M
- Production Studios
- Paramount Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Billy Wilder
Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder
Victor Young
George Barnes
Charles Brackett
Department Leadership Roster
Billy Wilder
Director
Edith Head
Costume Design
Charles Brackett
Writer
Billy Wilder
Writer
George Barnes
Director of Photography
Charles Brackett
Producer
Victor Young
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Emperor Waltz.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Emperor Waltz.
Watched Movies
ALLL MOVIESSS
Musicals
Every film Wikidata tags as a musical film.
Billy Wilder
list_Music
Movies categorized under Music
Billy Wilder Portfolio - Movies
Curated master portfolio of movies directed by Billy Wilder Portfolio - Movies. Updated frequently. Last updated August 30, 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Emperor Waltz
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Emperor Waltz about?
A brash American gramophone salesman tries to get Emperor Franz Joseph's endorsement in turn-of-the-century Austria.
Who directed The Emperor Waltz?
The Emperor Waltz was directed by Billy Wilder.
Who stars in The Emperor Waltz?
The principal cast of The Emperor Waltz includes Bing Crosby, Joan Fontaine, Roland Culver, Lucile Watson, Richard Haydn.
When was The Emperor Waltz released and how long is it?
The Emperor Waltz was released in 1948 with a total runtime of 1h 46m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Emperor Waltz?
The Emperor Waltz had a reported production budget of $3.8M and grossed $8M at the worldwide box office (2.11 return on budget, classified as a commercial hit).
Who composed the musical score for The Emperor Waltz?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Emperor Waltz was composed by Victor Young.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Emperor Waltz?
The Emperor Waltz holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).