Mozart (1936) Poster

(1936)

User Reviews

Review this title
2 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
5/10
Great Music but the Film Escaped from the Dog Pound
haygraphics10 March 2006
I have to give this a five because of the music. The material used for the soundtrack for the soundtrack was conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, a man who was one of the GREAT conductors of the twentieth century. Almost everything I've heard done under his baton literally sparkled with life and passion. He didn't just make orchestras work, he made them dance. His handling of Mozart's work, particularly the excerpt from the second act from Figaro transcends being just beautiful music and becomes the embodiment of pure heartrending joy.

At times it's almost enough to make this turkey of a film bearable. Almost …

Nothing could be good enough to give this gobbler credibility. The film follows the chronology of Wolfie's life (more or less) but beyond the music has little else going for it. The acting is awful and the dialog is worse. The characters (?) are barely one-dimensional and any of the factual information used as source material is rewritten into dribble. Wolfie, Constanze and all the other real people this clunker was meant to depict probably roll around in their graves anytime someone airs it.

The bottom line: ten of ten for the music but a minus five for this bow-wow on celluloid.
5 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
4/10
The beginning of the end for Basil Dean
malcolmgsw6 September 2015
Basil Dean was one of the co founders of Ealing Studios ,he was managing director,producer and director.His partners were the Courtauld family. Dean was married to Vickie Hopper who was cast as the wife of Motzart.It is one of 3 mistakes he admits to his autobiography.The second was the casting of Stephen Haggard as Motzart.He admits that the part needed a star.Haggard is hopeless.The third was to concentrate on Motzarts private life.For this he blamed the writer. The film was very expensive and went well over budget.Furthermore he found it a had sell to cinema bookers.He asked one Manchester exhibitor if he would book it.The reply was "over my dead body"'So not surprisingly this film was a financial disaster.The Coutraulds told Dean that they felt betrayed.When he wrote his book in 1973 he still felt remorse.Even then he could not understand why he made the film.I am bound to agree with him.
4 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed