Maestro

[forgotusername]

Just watched Maestro at my local cinema. Mesmeric performance by Bradley Cooper who “became” Leonard Bernstein with the aid of makeup and manners. I recall seeing Leonard Bernstein conducting Belioz Symphony Fantastique aeons ago and leaping up and down in thrall of the music he was directing. It was unforgettable. Talking of directiing, not only was Bradley Cooper superb in his role but the overall direction of the film was elevated by the avoidance of cliches. West side story was a mere passing reference and the non existent funeral scene you would normally assume would feature emphasised the focus on the man himself.
Carey Mulligan was equally convincing as his wife who endured, came to understand and eventually adapt to a man who became a giant in the world of music but whose personal relationships were complex to say the least.
It is impossible to be unmoved by the music and my only regret as a viewer was that I wanted more. Here is a story of one man’s life told with sympathy but brutal honesty. If you can, watch it in a cinema where the soundtrack does justice to the music. If you can’t, i think it will be on Netflix later this month.

[Arborbridge]

Just watched Maestro at my local cinema. Mesmeric performance by Bradley Cooper who “became” Leonard Bernstein with the aid of makeup and manners. I recall seeing Leonard Bernstein conducting Belioz Symphony Fantastique aeons ago and leaping up and down in thrall of the music he was directing. It was unforgettable. Talking of directiing, not only was Bradley Cooper superb in his role but the overall direction of the film was elevated by the avoidance of cliches. West side story was a mere passing reference and the non existent funeral scene you would normally assume would feature emphasised the focus on the man himself.
Carey Mulligan was equally convincing as his wife who endured, came to understand and eventually adapt to a man who became a giant in the world of music but whose personal relationships were complex to say the least.
It is impossible to be unmoved by the music and my only regret as a viewer was that I wanted more. Here is a story of one man’s life told with sympathy but brutal honesty. If you can, watch it in a cinema where the soundtrack does justice to the music. If you can’t, i think it will be on Netflix later this month.

I hope to see this before it disappears! From what I've read there's quite a bit about his personal life and relationships, but not so much about his wider achievements. I suppose directors feel they need to sex things up or dig some scandal to make it appealing to a wider public, and concentrating on the nuits and bolts plus his political and activist side might not have put bums on seats.
I think the problem with any film about Bernstein is that he had such a wide range of interests and was so influential, one could only scratch the surface without becoming too technical.

What was your opinion?

[forgotusername]

"What was your opinion?"

I enjoyed the film. I agree it omitted his political views, probably because it would have expanded the scope of an already ambitious subject. I didn't think his bisexuality was overly portrayed and thought it was a genuine attempt to show his conflicted personal life rather than to titillate.
My OH wasn't expecting to enjoy it, but despite the story proceeding slowly at times, found it absorbing and well worth watching. Everyone will have their own opinion. I spent a little time watching videos of him conducting and am amazed how much Bradley Cooper resembled him. I'm told his son appeared on TV recently and said that when watching the film, he forgot he was watching an actor playing his father.

Do watch it, I don't think you will regret it.

[Arborbridge]

I did see it, and enjoyed it. It was, TBH, a bit of a curate's egg. There were times when I found all the philosophical chit-chat a bit boring and time wasting - somewhere half way through. I also wasn't terribly keen on the arguments in which the participants were talking across one another. OK, I understand that's become a fashionable idea since that is what people do when they are talking. It really annoys me when my wife does it (!) so I don't need it in a movie - and besides, it makes the dialogue far harder to follow.

As regards the acting: it was remarkable. Quite an uncanny likeness to Bernstein, and Carey Mulligan was superb as his wife, Felicia. She was just as good as Bradley Cooper but in a different way, showing the pain while smiling through. The final scenes as she lay dying were a tour de force, and both sensitive and touching. There wasn't a sound the whole way through in the cinema where I watched.
The section in Ely cathedral with the finale of the 2nd dymphony was a dramatic delight. I thought at the time that Bradley Cooper might be over acting, but I don't think so. Watch Lenny and you will see that he has a strange and agitated style - which as a callow young man in the 60s-70s struck me as wildly OTT, me being brought up on Sir Adrian Boult.

One could have made different choices - pick holes, if you like - in what they chose to emphasise. It was a history of a marriage, rather than a biopic of Bernstein and his achievements, and goes some way to re-establishing the persona of Felicia who in life was eclipsed by her husband. This fits with modern trends, but is worthy, nevertheless.

I came out realising that although in my youth I had spent many afternoons listening to Mahler's symphonies, I've had a deficit in recent decades*. Result: I'm on the look out to reverse this in 2024. Indeed. I have already bought seats for Mahlers 3rd, with the LSO conducted by Bernstein accolyte, Michael Tilson-Thomas.

Oh, - and that nose. It was fine, but not quite right. I would say it was too smooth sided and shraply pointy. The real Nose had much more character!

*this is accounted for because Mahler symphonies do not make good house-guests: I don't play them at home. They really need to be very loud and preferably with a close view of musicians scraping, blowing and banging away. You need to indulge yourself in the full audio-visual-tactile experience.

Arb.