Bel Ami ... Raymond Wraskoff et son Orchestre (Paris, 1940 /4K/ Colorized)

Today's video features an uptempo version of the classic "Bel Ami" recorded by Raymond Wraskoff and his orchestra in 1940. The record has a large crack and this is audible unfortunately.

Video timeline :

0:00 : Introduction
0:13 : Opening Credits
0:47 : Rachel (Lizzi Waldmüller) singing "Bel Ami"
1:15 : Madeleine Forestier (Olga Tschechowa)
1:25 : George (Willi Forst) and Mme de Marelle (Hilde Hildebrand)
1:36 : George and Madeleine
1:45 : Suzanne (Ilse Werner) and Georges meet for the first time
2:01 : Madeleine and Laroche (Johannes Riemann)
2:06 : Suzanne and George fight
2:20 : Goodbye Madeleine
2:26 : Goodbye Rachel
2:32 : Goodbye Mme de Marelle
2:43 : Hello Suzanne
2:52 : George in power

The song "Bel Ami" needs no introduction as it is one of the biggest hits of the 1930s and 40s both in Germany and Europe. It was composed by Theo Mackeben for Willi Forst's 1939 movie "Bel Ami" - after Guy de Maupassant's famous novel. Featuring an all-star cast including Olga Tschechowa and Ilse Werner the picture was the breakthrough movie for the Austrian singer and actress Lizzi Waldmüller who as Rachel sings "Bel Ami' in the movie.

"Bel Ami" is perhaps the most successful German song in France during the Second World War - closely followed by "Musique, Musique, Musique!" (Musik, Musik, Musik! / Ich brauche keine Millionen). I have at least a dozen French versions in my collection ranging from swing by Fred Adison and Raymond Wraskoff to pure musette by Jean Vaissade and Emile Prud'homme. The song already arrived before the outbreak of the War in France : an early version was recorded by Gus Viseur and his orchestra with (anonymous) vocals by Lucienne Delyle on 1 June 1939. Most other versions were recorded in 1940 and 1941 - most famously by Tino Rossi and Eva Busch.

The video features sequences from "Bel Ami" which have been restored and upscaled to a 4K resolution. They were then colorized mostly manually using A.I. and this purely for entertainment purposes. The colorization is NOT historically correct but it tries to recreate the warm colors of early Agfacolor movies and does give an impression of what the sets and costumes may have looked like.

Software used includes:

Topaz Video Enhance
Premiere Pro
Neat Video Plug-in for Premiere Pro
Adobe Photoshop

About the record:

"Bel Ami"
Raymond Wraskoff et son Orchestre

Odeon
279. 688 / ki. 9755-1
Paris,
December 1940

The record which is in average condition was transferred using a Graham Slee Revelation M Phono Preamp (bass Turnover 250 Hz - Rolloff 0) in combination with a Klark Teknik Tube Equalizer. The cartridge and stylus used is an Ortofon Om78. Editing was done in Adobe Audition