A biopic about Johannes Brahms and two other musical people - Robert and Clara Wieck Schumann - whom I've never heard of. The beginning of the movie gives the disclaimer that it's based on their true stories, and a quick glance at Wiki shows that the main plot points are there, i.e. how Clara Wieck sacrificed a huge career as a gifted pianist to help her husband's lesser composing one, and how Brahms and Wieck shared an unconsummated love because of her devotion to her husband.
I have to admit that I'm naturally biased here because it's Katharine Hepburn who plays Clara Wieck and of course my opinion is that she's great. I mean, how suitable for the role of a artiste is she, with her classic Greek goddess looks. And it really does look like she did all the piano-playing herself and it was amazing how her fingers flew. Just watching her play the piano makes the movie. But this is Kate, and even when she's not the pianist but a harried mother of eight, she's still radiant.
As for the rest of the movie, it's fairly rote, unfortunately. The big historical names don't matter so much if you're not a classical music fan, and I'm not, so the songs (of love!) didn't leave an impression on me, which means the movie comes across as a standard devoted-wife- sacrifices-all-for-her-husband movie.
I have to admit that I'm naturally biased here because it's Katharine Hepburn who plays Clara Wieck and of course my opinion is that she's great. I mean, how suitable for the role of a artiste is she, with her classic Greek goddess looks. And it really does look like she did all the piano-playing herself and it was amazing how her fingers flew. Just watching her play the piano makes the movie. But this is Kate, and even when she's not the pianist but a harried mother of eight, she's still radiant.
As for the rest of the movie, it's fairly rote, unfortunately. The big historical names don't matter so much if you're not a classical music fan, and I'm not, so the songs (of love!) didn't leave an impression on me, which means the movie comes across as a standard devoted-wife- sacrifices-all-for-her-husband movie.