The acting here is fine. The directing is uninspired and droopy. This is an unimaginative, and for my money basically disappointing biopic of a remarkable and potentially very interesting woman.
What we get is the tearful story of a devoted wife who largely gave up a career as a concert pianist to be the faithful wife of composer Robert Schumann, to joyfully raise their eight - not seven, but eight - children. Temptation comes her way and she doesn't even see it, much less agonize about it.
One of my biggest problems with this well-acted movie is the music. On the one hand, there is way too much of it. Most of it is very beautiful, beautifully and sometimes even breathtakingly played. (There is too much Liszt for my money.) But did we need to sit through all of it?
On the other hand, we never get to hear any of Clara Schumann's own music, nor is there any talk about her early aspirations to be a composer as well as a pianist. I wonder why, especially given that the role was played by a strong woman?
If you love Hepburn and have to see everything she did, then certainly watch this. No one embarrasses him/herself. If you want to learn about the three people at the center of the story, the two Schumanns and Brahms, don't watch this, read some books. (The movie starts by saying that liberties have been taken with the biographical facts. They weren't trying to pull a fast one on anyone.) If you want to be told that women should sacrifice themselves for their husbands, go read a book by Gloria Steinem.
What we get is the tearful story of a devoted wife who largely gave up a career as a concert pianist to be the faithful wife of composer Robert Schumann, to joyfully raise their eight - not seven, but eight - children. Temptation comes her way and she doesn't even see it, much less agonize about it.
One of my biggest problems with this well-acted movie is the music. On the one hand, there is way too much of it. Most of it is very beautiful, beautifully and sometimes even breathtakingly played. (There is too much Liszt for my money.) But did we need to sit through all of it?
On the other hand, we never get to hear any of Clara Schumann's own music, nor is there any talk about her early aspirations to be a composer as well as a pianist. I wonder why, especially given that the role was played by a strong woman?
If you love Hepburn and have to see everything she did, then certainly watch this. No one embarrasses him/herself. If you want to learn about the three people at the center of the story, the two Schumanns and Brahms, don't watch this, read some books. (The movie starts by saying that liberties have been taken with the biographical facts. They weren't trying to pull a fast one on anyone.) If you want to be told that women should sacrifice themselves for their husbands, go read a book by Gloria Steinem.