Copying Beethoven (2006)

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers (WGA):

Stephen J. Rivele (written by) &
Christopher Wilkinson (written by)

Release Date:

19 October 2006 (Israel)

Genre:

Drama | History | Music | Romance

Tagline:

The passion behind the genius

Plot:

A fictionalized account of the last year of Beethoven's life.

Plot Keywords:

Beethoven | Composition | Romanticism | Deaf | Pit

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Diane Kruger	...	Anna Holtz
Ralph Riach	...	Wenzel Schlemmer
Matyelok Gibbs	...	Old Woman
Ed Harris	...	Ludwig van Beethoven
Bill Stewart	...	Rudy
Angus Barnett	...	Krenski
Viktoria Dihen	...	Magda
Phyllida Law	...	Mother Canisius
Matthew Goode	...	Martin Bauer
Gábor Bohus	...	Schuppanzigh
Joe Anderson	...	Karl van Beethoven
David Kennedy	...	Neighbor
Nicholas Jones	...	Archduke Rudolph
László Áron	...	Judge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Karl Johnson	...	Stefan Holtz
George Mendel	...	Doctor (as Gyorgy Mendel)

Also Known As:

Klang der Stille (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual elements.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA | Germany | Hungary

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Brazil:10 | Hong Kong:IIA | Germany:6 | UK:12A | Ireland:12A | Netherlands:6 | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

Trivia:

In an interview with The Guardian on August 11, 2007, Ed Harris stated that his biggest disappointment has been "The distribution of Copying Beethoven in the US." He also claimed the most important lesson life has taught him is "Don't let MGM distribute a film you care about."

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Beethoven is berating Schlemmer, he yells, "B-flat! B-flat! B-flat!" and hits a chord 3 times. The chord he hits on the piano sounds like a modern A-flat major chord, even though Beethoven is clearly hitting a chord with a top note of F. The reason for the discrepancy is probably because the pitch for tuning instruments has changed over time, and a frequency that would today be called an "A-flat" would have in Beethoven's time been something between an A and B-flat.

Quotes:

Ludwig van Beethoven: I'm a very difficult person, Anna Holtz, but I take comfort in the fact that God made me that way.

Soundtrack:

String Quartet No. 16 in f major Op. 135

The last year of Beethoven's life, with great musical scenes, of course.

LOVED IT ! ! ! Rarely, a movie comes along that is a work of art. I felt that way about Tous les Matins du Monde, and hadn't felt that way about any movie since. This one really enhanced my FEEL for Beethoven - for his art, and for his life. It got across well the notion that there's a deeper substrate to Beethoven's music that transcends calculation and structure. I was rapt. I found at the end that I still had a full bag of popcorn - I'd forgotten all about it as soon as the movie started. My favorite scenes included the marvelous, exhilarating performance of the Ninth Symphony, and an exegesis of the Grosse Fugue. Happily will I go to see this movie again and again.