"Ich bin ja heut so glücklich ! " ... Bernard Etté / Marthe Coiffier (1931)

"Die Privatsekretärin" (Lit. Private Secretary) is a multi-language musical comedy directed by Wilhelm Thiele and starring Renate Müller, Hermann Thimig and Felix Bressart in the leading roles. The music was composed by Paul Abraham. Simultaneously a French language version called "Dactylo" was shot starring Marie Glory, Jean Murat and Armand Bernard. "Die Privatsekretärin" was enormous success and turned Renate Müller into one of Germany's most popular actresses. Especially her song "Ich bin ja heut' so glücklich" (Today I feel so happy) became an evergreen. The success of both versions on the continent was such that the rights were sold and London based Gainsborough Film remade "Die Privatsekretärin" with Renate Müller reprising her part. "Sunshine Susie" as the movie was now called was enormous hit and voted best picture of 1932. (The New York Times found the English version to be inferior to the German original). In Italy "Die Privatsekretärin" was remade as well with Elsa Merlini in Müller's part. "Die Privatsekretärin" is one of the few movies that was not only a multi-language production but also the subject of two remakes in the same year. The German original was longtime considered to be a "lost film" of which only fragments were available. However the movie was reconstructed from a 16mm print and shown in Munich in 2019. "Sunshine Susie" is available on KZbin ( • Paul Abraham Spielfilm... ). "Dactylo" survives and a review with images from the movie is available here : • 1931 DACTYLO .
Today's video features the hit song "Ich bin ja heut' so glücklich" in a contrasting German and French version. The German version was recorded by Bernhard Etté for Kristall and is a typical uptempo foxtrot with a short vocal chorus by Kurt (Mühl)Hardt. The French version recorded by the soprano Marthe Coiffier focuses on the lyrics. Since Marthe Coiffier was a well known singer in the early 1930s who recorded many movie songs this is to be expected. As such her version resembles Renate Müller's recording which is widely available on YT.
The Bernard Etté recording is in very bad condition unfortunately, especially near the end. The Marthe Coiffier record is in quite good condition except for some groove damage (still acceptable for a 90 year old record. The next two videos will feature more songs from "Die Privatsekretärin".
About the records :
"Ich bin ja heut' so glücklich !"
Bernard Etté und sein Orchester
Refraingesang : Kurt Hardt
Kristall
3144 / mx. C 882-1
Berlin,
1931
*****************************************************
"Je vois la vie en rose"
Marthe Coiffier - Soprano de l'Opéra Comique
Orchestre sous la direction de Pierre Chagnon
Columbia
DF 564 / mx. L 3054
Paris,
1931

[@hrbooksmusic7878]

Ein doppelt charmanter Abschluss meines heutigen Musik-Nachmittags... Wenn das nicht glücklich macht...! 😉 💐👍 Vielen Dank 🙏🍀 für die beiden Gute-Laune-Aufnahmen und das wunderbare ergänzende Bildmaterial - gerade auch von Renate Müller...

[@snookerbee]

Die Übertragung der Etté-Platte ist doch gut gelungen. Kurt Mühlhardt schafft es wieder (trotz seiner technisch begrenzten Stimme) das Wesentliche des Liedes zu erfassen und Etté ist herrlich verspielt. Fröhliche Platte, auch die französische Version mit gesungenen Versen macht Freude. Danke.

[@jonjamg]

Brill

[@c.w.1827]

🎩💃🍀👍