The Red Violin (1998) Le violon rouge (original title)

Director:

François Girard

Writers:

Don McKellar (written by) &
François Girard (written by)

Release Date:

11 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Mystery | Music

Tagline:

Passion Is Timeless

Plot:

A perfect red-colored violin inspires passion, making its way through three centuries over several owners and countries, eventually ending up at an auction where it may find a new owner.

Plot Keywords:

Violin | Auction | Monastery | Passion | Violinist

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 19 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Carlo Cecchi	...	Nicolo Bussotti (Cremona)
Irene Grazioli	...	Anna Bussotti (Cremona)
Anita Laurenzi	...	Cesca (Cremona)
Tommaso Puntelli	...	Apprentice (Cremona)
Samuele Amighetti	...	Boy (Cremona)
Jean-Luc Bideau	...	Georges Poussin (Vienna)
Aldo Brugnini	...	Assistant (Cremona)
Christoph Koncz	...	Kaspar Weiss (Vienna)
Clotilde Mollet	...	Antoinette Pussin (Vienna)
Florentín Groll	...	Anton von Spielmann (Vienna)
Johannes Silberschneider	...	Father Richter (Vienna)
Rainer Egger	...	Brother Christophe (Vienna)
Paul Koeker	...	Brother Gustav (Vienna)
Wolfgang Böck	...	Brother Michael (Vienna)
Josef Mairginter	...	Brother Franz (Vienna)
Johan Gotsch	...	Funeral Monk (Vienna)
Geza Hosszu-Legocky	...	Gypsy Violonist (Vienna)
David Alberman	...	Gypsy Violonist (Vienna)
Arthur Denberg	...	Prince Mansfeld (Vienna)
Andrzej Matuszewiski	...	Gypsy Violonist (Vienna)
Jason Flemyng	...	Frederick Pope (Oxford)
Greta Scacchi	...	Victoria Byrd (Oxford)
Eva Marie Bryer	...	Sara (Oxford)
Dimitri Andreas	...	Gypsy Father (Oxford)
David Gant	...	Conductor (Oxford)
Sai-Kit Yung	...	Manservant (Oxford) (as Stuart Ong)
Sylvia Chang	...	Xiang Pei (Shanghai)
Zifeng Liu	...	Chou Yuan (Shanghai) (as Zi Feng Liu)
Hong Tao	...	Comrade Chan Gong (Shanghai)
Xio Fei Han	...	Young Ming (Shanghai)
Zheng Wei Tan	...	Guard (Shanghai) (as Zeng Wei Tan)
Zhi Qing Zhou	...	Senior Policeman (Shanghai)
Xiaoshuai Wang	...	Junior Policeman (Shanghai)
Zhi Qiao	...	Elderly Woman (Shanghai)
Kun Qi Cao	...	Deputy (Shanghai)
Rei Yang	...	Young Xian Pei (Shanghai)
Lidou	...	Pawnbroker (Shanghai)
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Charles Morritz (Montréal)
Colm Feore	...	Auctioneer (Montréal)
Monique Mercure	...	Mme. Leroux (Montréal)
Don McKellar	...	Evan Williams (Montréal)
Ireneusz Bogajewicz	...	Mr. Ruselsky (Montréal)
Julian Richings	...	Nicolas Olsberg (Montréal)
Russell Yuen	...	Older Ming (Montréal)
Sandra Oh	...	Madame Ming (Montréal)
Paula de Vasconcelos	...	Suzanne (Montréal)
Rémy Girard	...	Customs Agent (Montréal)
Marie-Josée Gauthier	...	Hotel Concierge (Montréal)
Dany Laferrière	...	Cabby (Montréal)
Dorothée Berryman	...	Secretary (Montréal)
David La Haye	...	Handler (Montréal)
Gregory Hlady	...	Coat Attendant (Montréal)
Herman Meckler	...	Registrar (Montréal)
Sheena Macdonald	...	Ruselsky's Companion (Montréal)
Jody Shapiro	...	Autograph Seeker (Montréal)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Bradford	...	Stagehand (Montréal)
Joshua Bell	...	Violinist (Oxford) (uncredited)
Sylvia Stewart	...	Security Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
François Girard

Writing credits
Don McKellar		(written by) &
François Girard		(written by)

Produced by
Niv Fichman	....	producer
Daniel Iron	....	co-producer
Giannandrea Pecorelli	....	co-producer
Barbara Shrier	....	line producer

Original Music by
John Corigliano

Cinematography by
Alain Dostie

Film Editing by
Gaétan Huot

Casting by
Deirdre Bowen
Andrea Kenyon

Production Design by
François Séguin

Art Direction by
Martyn John

Set Decoration by
Judy Farr

Costume Design by
Renée April

Makeup Department
Kathy Ducker	....	assistant makeup artist: Oxford
Pat Hay	....	makeup artist: Oxford
Meinir Jones-Lewis	....	assistant makeup artist: Oxford
Serge Morache	....	second key hair stylist
Cécile Rigault	....	assistant makeup artist
Petra Schaumann	....	assistant hair stylist: Oxford
Suzanne Stokes-Munton	....	hair stylist: Oxford
Micheline Trépanier	....	makeup artist: Montreal
Nathalie Trépanier	....	makeup artist
Adolf Uhrmacher	....	makeup artist: Vienna

Production Management
Peter Alves	....	post-production supervisor
Lucie Bouliane	....	production manager
Tommaso Calevi	....	production manager
Riccardo Folgore	....	unit manager
Giuseppe Tobia Mafezzoni	....	assistant production manager: Italy, Cremona
Robert Opratko	....	production manager: Vienna
Cristina Romagnoli	....	unit production manager: Italy (as Christina Romagnoli)
Giorgio Vacchelli	....	assistant production manager: Italy/Cremona

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Buck Deachman	....	second assistant director
Olivier Gérard	....	first assistant director: Italy
Jennifer Jonas	....	assistant director
Carlo Paramidani	....	second assistant director: Italy
Stefano Voltaggio	....	third assistant director
David J. Webb	....	first assistant director: China (as David Webb)
Bill Yip	....	first assistant director: Canada

Art Department
Will Ayres	....	stand-by props
Mick Boleyn	....	construction manager
Cecile Braemer	....	assistant production designer
Rejean Brochu	....	construction supervisor
Mariane Carter	....	assistant production designer (as Marianne Carter)
Denis Caspar	....	graphic artist
Jamie Knutson	....	swing
Eric Lafrance	....	carpenter
Rebecca Loncraine	....	assistant art director
Luciano Magagnini	....	property master
Collin Niemi	....	assistant art director
Raymond Perry	....	property master (as Ray Perry)
Darren Reynolds	....	stand-by props
Claudio Villa	....	property master

Sound Department
Jocelyn Caron	....	foley recordist (as Jo Caron)
Jérôme Décarie	....	foley artist
Bernard Gariépy Strobl	....	sound re-recording mixer
Claude La Haye	....	sound engineer
Claude La Haye	....	sound
Benoit Leduc	....	foley assistant
Lawrence Manchester	....	additional engineering
Tchae Measroch	....	foley assistant
Antoine Morin	....	sound effects editor
Dominik Pagacz	....	sound effects assistant editor
Guy Pelletier	....	dialogue editor
Guy Pelletier	....	sound editor
Jacques Plante	....	adr supervisor
Marcel Pothier	....	sound mixer
Marcel Pothier	....	sound
Francis Péloquin	....	boom operator
Hans Peter Strobl	....	sound mixer
Hans Peter Strobl	....	sound
Katrina Walsh	....	adr coordinator

Visual Effects by
Frank D'Iorio	....	digital compositor: Buzzimage Group
Dominic Daigle	....	CGI animator
Mathieu Dupuis	....	digital compositor: Buzz Image Group
Jamie Hallett	....	optical cameraman
Yves Laniel	....	visual effects line producer
François Lord	....	digital effects artist
Andre U. Montambeault	....	digital compositor
Robin Tremblay	....	computer graphics animator (Miscellaneous crew, Special Effects)
Robin Tremblay	....	visual effects matte painting
Mark Tureski	....	optical effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Jere Gillis	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Werner Bacciu	....	grip: Italy
Stefano Biscaro	....	key grip
Daniel Chrétien Jr.	....	additional electrician: Montréal
Daniel Chrétien	....	gaffer
Jean-Maurice de Ernsted	....	key grip
Francesco Di Giacomo	....	second assistant camera
Sylvaine Dufaux	....	additional camera operator: "b" camera
Sylvaine Dufaux	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Julie Garceau	....	video assist operator
Gernot 'Niki' Griedl	....	electrician
David Jerrett	....	electrician
Kimber Lee Jerrett	....	best girl electric: Vienna
Andrea Lotici	....	assistant electrician: Cremona, Italy
Bob Marshak	....	still photographer
Denis-Noel Mostert	....	Steadicam operator
Ernesto Natoli	....	assistant camera
Alberto Rogante	....	gaffer
Salvatore Scala	....	assistant electrician: Cremona, Italy
Bernhard Schober	....	grip
Federico Scoponi	....	assistant grip: Cremona, Italy
Takashi Seida	....	still photographer
Richard Wagner	....	assistant camera: Vienna

Casting Department
Nadia Cavalli	....	additional casting: Cremona, Italy
Jennifer Duffy	....	casting assistant
Rita Forzano	....	additional casting
Mary Selway	....	additional casting
Randi Wells	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mariane Carter	....	assistant costume designer (as Marianne Carter)
Rose Goodheart	....	wardrobe assistant
Claudette Lilly	....	costume assistant
Thomas Oláh	....	costume coordinator
Ros Ward	....	wardrobe coordinator

Editorial Department
Louis-Philippe Rathé	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Joshua Bell	....	music consultant
Joshua Bell	....	musician: solo violin
Alison Booth	....	music production coordinator
Peter Cho	....	music production coordinator
John Corigliano	....	orchestrator
François Girard	....	executive music producer
Matthias Gohl	....	music producer
Joel Iwataki	....	music mixer
Joel Iwataki	....	music recordist
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Guy Pelletier	....	music editor
Esa-Pekka Salonen	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Thomas Fuchs	....	transportation department

Other crew
Jean-François Aubin	....	production assistant
Charles Beare	....	violin builder
Francesco Bini	....	assistant choreographer: Cremona, Italy
Lorenzo Carnevali	....	assistant choreographer: Cremona, Italy
Francis Choquette	....	production assistant
Carmela Compagnone	....	production accountant
Rebecca Cotterill	....	production coordinator: Oxford
Alana Cymerman	....	assistant location manager
Julie Cyrenne	....	assistant production accountant
Hélène Grimard	....	production accountant (as Hélène Gallizzi)
Irene Iversen	....	second continuity: Vienna
Kristjan Järvi	....	assistant: Esa-Pekka Salonen
Marie La Haye	....	continuity
Johanne Pelletier	....	production coordinator
Helen Pratt	....	production coordinator: Oxford
Michèle St-Arnaud	....	location manager
Rebecca Starr	....	voice-over: Anna's theme
Fran Weston	....	production assistant
Patrik Attenhofer	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jonathan Weisgal	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Rhombus Media
• Mikado Film (as Mikado)
• New Line International (as New Line International Releasing) (in association with)
• Channel Four Films (in association with)
• Canada Television and Cable Production Fund (in association with)
• Telefilm Canada - Equity Investment Program (in association with)
• CITY-TV (as Citytv) (in association with)
• Bravo Arts Channel (as Bravo NeoStyle Arts Channel) (in association with)
• Filmfonds Wien (in association with)
• Sony Classical (in association with)
• Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC) (as The Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit Program) (with the assistance of)
• Red Violin Productions Ltd. (copyright holder)
• Sidecar Films & TV (as Sidecar Films and TV) (copyright holder)

Distributors

• Alta Films (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Channel Four Films (1999) (UK) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (2000) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1999) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Mikado Film (1999) (Italy) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1999) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1999) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1999) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1999) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (????) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Alliance Films (2010) (Canada) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (Germany) (DVD)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2006) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (1999) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrews (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• VCL Communications (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2002) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Buzz Image Group

Other Companies

• Air Lyndhurst Studios  music recorded at
• Avatar Studios  music mixed at
• Avatar Studios  music recorded at
• Canada Television and Cable Production Fund  funding
• Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC)  assistance (as The Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit Program)
• Filmfonds Wien  funding
• Philharmonia Orchestra, The  music performed by
• Sony Classical  soundtrack published by
• Telefilm Canada - Equity Investment Program  funding
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

"Le violon rouge" - Canada (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality

Runtime:

130 min | France:140 min

Country:

Canada | Italy | USA | UK | Austria

Language:

French | English | Mandarin | Italian | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:LH | Philippines:PG-13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 (TV rating) | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 (TV rating) | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

Chicheley Hall, Chicheley, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Rhombus Media

Trivia:

When Frederick Pope leans back in the tub with the letter from his lover in his hand, the shot is a recreation of the famous painting "The Death of Marat."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Xiang Pei first takes out the violin to play for her son, the violin is missing a G-string. Later when Xiang Pei takes the violin out to show to Chou Yuan, the violin has all four strings.

Quotes:

Charles Morritz:What do you do when the thing you most wanted, so perfect, just comes?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

O Richard! O mon Roi!

Wow.

I saw this film the same day it came highly recommended to me by a coffee shop friend who couldn't stop gushing about it. While this guy is also a member of the Academy and has steered me to some pretty good picks in the past, I walked into the theater fearing the usual letdown that invariably follows going into a film with overly high expectations (i.e. The English Patient, The Truman Show, etc.) This film not only managed to exceed my expectations, it restored my faith in the magic and mystery of cinema altogether.

We start with a rather simple but cleverly structured story about a very unique red violin that emblematically (and quite literally for that matter) takes on the heart and fate of a 16th century Italian woman as it passes across several centuries and continents on its way to the auction block in present day Montreal. The unfolding vignettes reveal more and more about the nature of this instrument and, when strung together in the bigger picture, play out like finely orchestrated movements of a great sonata; each movement plucking out its own stirring and poignant variation on theme. I was so swept up in the majesty and spectacle of this film that it didn't even occur to me until much later that the violin is nothing less than a personification of beauty itself (okay, okay, maybe I'm starting to overly deconstruct things here in retrospect, but the parallels are too perfect to remain unexplored). It's fascinating to watch both the transformative and destructive power of this beauty as it's placed into the hands of a sensitive young boy, a self absorbed musical protege, and a remorseful ring leader of a totalitarian regime. Much praise goes to director Francois Girard in how he refrained from overplaying the social and moral commentary, repeating this theme at mostly an emotional level rather than an intellectual one -- much in the same way that beauty itself, to some degree anyway, defies analytical discussion and belongs in the realm of pure and simple experience. You obviously can't dissect it, as co-writer Don McKellar¹s onscreen character thought to do, and so it remains as it was in it's original form: timeless, magical, elusive. The stuff that pompous nobility and rich collectors the world over will offer a king's ransom for and still never manage to posses in the end.

Performances were good to great all around. It's hard to go wrong with Samuel L. Jackson in a leading role and I appreciated the fact that the actors actually appeared to be playing the violin on camera, as opposed to watching the typical hokey cutaways and cheat shots often associated with onscreen musical performances; nauseating contrivances that always tear down the wall of suspended disbelief with a resounding crash. The costuming, set design and cinematography were absolutely stunning (Oscar nominations soon to follow I'm sure) without taking center stage from the story. I especially loved the amazing period recreations of China and Austria. I felt like I was fully transported in both space and time to these places and walking among people who really belonged there.

Overall I would rate this one as a true film classic on the level of masterpiece. Perhaps this is in part due to my love for music and the undeniable fact that, being the sentimental guy that I am, I'm always a sucker for haunting open-ended films like this where you leave the theater in a half daze, pondering all the implications, mesmerized by the lingering imagery. I'm still speculating about the future of Mr. Moritz and what will ultimately happen when beauty is placed into the hands of our modern world.