Copying Beethoven (2006)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

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 | Student | Performance

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:

The film was originally written with Anthony Hopkins in mind, for the role of Ludwig van Beethoven.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The film depicts Beethoven conducting the premier of his Ninth Symphony with Anna's help and at the end her turning him around at the podium to see the thunderous applause. In reality, Michael Umlauf conducted and although Beethoven was on stage keeping tempo, the orchestra had been told to ignore him. At the end of the performance it was one of the soloists, Caroline Unger, who turned him around to see the enthusiastic applause of the audience.

Quotes:

Ludwig van Beethoven: Schlemmer. I've arranged for Krenski to send him some pickled carp.
Ludwig van Beethoven: That will put him back in the pink.
Karl van Beethoven: He's got cancer.

Soundtrack:

Violin Sonata No. 7 in C minor Op. 30

A bad picture of a great composer

Awful!

Despite the good performance of Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, and the strong budget (the reason for the 3 stars), the movie is by far the worst I saw about a composer, and the worst edition of a masterpiece of music. I agree with some fictional stuff to upgrade a biography, that otherwise couldn't be so "charming". This was done in AMADEUS with best results, but this B copy here is a flaw. Beethoven had a strong personality, but was a sensible artist. Here in this movie however, he looks much more as Mike Tyson! I wonder also, whether despite his deafness, he heard all the whisperings in the last scenes (may be a cochlear implant?). I prefer to listen to the ninth on a CD with some nice maestro. Today most of them conduct modern Wagnerian orchestras. By the way: I gave Amadeus 10/10!