Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Immortal Beloved

  • 19941994
  • RR
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
25K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
10,078
1,555
Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved (1994)
Home Video Trailer from Columbia Pictures
Play trailer2:43
1 Video
99+ Photos
BiographyDramaMusic
The life and death of the legendary Ludwig van Beethoven. Besides all the work he is known for, the composer once wrote a famous love letter to a nameless beloved, and the movie tries to fin... Read allThe life and death of the legendary Ludwig van Beethoven. Besides all the work he is known for, the composer once wrote a famous love letter to a nameless beloved, and the movie tries to find out who this beloved was--not easy, as Beethoven has had many women in his life.The life and death of the legendary Ludwig van Beethoven. Besides all the work he is known for, the composer once wrote a famous love letter to a nameless beloved, and the movie tries to find out who this beloved was--not easy, as Beethoven has had many women in his life.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
25K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
10,078
1,555
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Bernard Rose
    • Writer
      • Bernard Rose
    • Stars
      • Gary Oldman
      • Jeroen Krabbé
      • Isabella Rossellini
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Bernard Rose
    • Writer
      • Bernard Rose
    • Stars
      • Gary Oldman
      • Jeroen Krabbé
      • Isabella Rossellini
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 141User reviews
    • 35Critic reviews
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Immortal Beloved
    Trailer 2:43
    Immortal Beloved

    Photos179

    Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Gary Oldman, Christopher Fulford, Gerard Horan, and Bernard Rose in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Johanna ter Steege in Immortal Beloved
    Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    1 Sheet 26 X 38
    Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Gary Oldman, Valeria Golino, Isabella Rossellini, and Johanna ter Steege in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Gary Oldman and Isabella Rossellini in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Gary Oldman, Valeria Golino, Isabella Rossellini, and Johanna ter Steege in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved (1994)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gary Oldman
    Gary Oldman
    • Ludwig van Beethoven
    Jeroen Krabbé
    Jeroen Krabbé
    • Anton Felix Schindler
    Isabella Rossellini
    Isabella Rossellini
    • Anna Marie Erdödy
    Johanna ter Steege
    Johanna ter Steege
    • Johanna Reiss
    Marco Hofschneider
    Marco Hofschneider
    • Karl van Beethoven
    Miriam Margolyes
    Miriam Margolyes
    • Nanette Streicherová
    Barry Humphries
    Barry Humphries
    • Clemens Metternich
    Valeria Golino
    Valeria Golino
    • Giulietta Guicciardi
    Gerard Horan
    Gerard Horan
    • Nikolaus Johann van Beethoven
    Christopher Fulford
    Christopher Fulford
    • Kaspar Anton Carl van Beethoven
    Alexandra Pigg
    Alexandra Pigg
    • Therese Obermayer
    Luigi Diberti
    Luigi Diberti
    • Franz Josef Guicciardi
    Michael Culkin
    Michael Culkin
    • Jakob Hotscevar
    Donal Gibson
    Donal Gibson
    • Karl Holz
    Matthew North
    • Young Karl van Beethoven
    Geno Lechner
    Geno Lechner
    • Josephine von Brunsvik
    Claudia Solti
    Claudia Solti
    • Theresa von Brunsvik
    Rory Edwards
    • Wenzel Robert von Gallenberg
    • Director
      • Bernard Rose
    • Writer
      • Bernard Rose
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Gary Oldman Through the Years

    Gary Oldman Through the Years

    Take a look back at Gary Oldman's movie career in photos.
    See more Gary
    View image
    View image
    View image

    More like this

    Copying Beethoven
    6.7
    Copying Beethoven
    Amadeus
    8.4
    Amadeus
    Murder in the First
    7.3
    Murder in the First
    Romeo Is Bleeding
    6.6
    Romeo Is Bleeding
    Sid and Nancy
    7.0
    Sid and Nancy
    The Scarlet Letter
    5.3
    The Scarlet Letter
    Smart Money
    5.9
    Smart Money
    Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
    7.3
    Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
    Boxing Day
    5.8
    Boxing Day
    Shine
    7.7
    Shine
    Louis van Beethoven
    6.3
    Louis van Beethoven
    Chattahoochee
    6.3
    Chattahoochee

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Gary Oldman actually played all of the Beethoven pieces he performed in the film. A different musician performed in the official soundtrack. When Oldman learned he would be playing the lead role, he spent six weeks practicing on a Steinway piano for six hours a day in his hotel, and completely immersed himself in the music as his research for the character. In an interview with the South Bank show in 1997, Oldman quoted an article that said "he mimes very well" in the film. He then laughed and said "I'm playing it! I can play that!"
    • Goofs
      Beethoven's estate was not willed to his Immortal Beloved.
    • Quotes

      Ludwig van Beethoven: [in reference to "Violin Sonata in A Major, Op. 47" - "Kreutzer"...] Do you like it?

      Anton Felix Schindler: Shh!

      Ludwig van Beethoven: I cannot hear them, but I know they are making a hash of it. What do you think? Music is... a dreadful thing. What is it? I don't understand it. What does it mean?

      Anton Felix Schindler: It - it exalts the soul.

      Ludwig van Beethoven: Utter nonsense. If you hear a marching band, is your soul exalted? No, you march. If you hear a waltz, you dance. If you hear a mass, you take communion. It is the power of music to carry one directly into the mental state of the composer. The listener has no choice. It is like hypnotism. So, now... What was in my mind when I wrote this? Hmm? A man is trying to reach his lover. His carriage has broken down in the rain. The wheels stuck in the mud. She will only wait so long. This... is the sound of his agitation. "This is how it is... ," the music is saying. "Not how you are used to being. Not how you are used to thinking. But like this."

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Disclosure/Drop Zone/Nell/The Last Buffalo/Into the Deep/Immortal Beloved (1994)
    • Soundtracks
      Missa Solemnis in D Major, Op. 123
      Written by Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performed by London Symphony Orchestra

      Conducted by Georg Solti (as Sir Georg Solti)

      Performed by Renée Fleming soprano - Ann Murray alto - Vinson Cole tenor - Bryn Terfel bass with London Voices

      Chorus master: Terry Edwards

    User reviews141

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Great historical fiction (not a biopic!)
    This is the most creatively written historical fiction I've seen since Amadeus. Writer/director Bernard Rose did a fantastic job of piecing together scraps of history and filling in the blanks with an outrageously clever theory. Make no mistake; this is NOT a biopic. So don't think you can cram for tomorrow's Beethoven exam by watching this movie... your teacher will flunk you right out of the conservatory.

    But if you approach this film as a sort of "conspiracy theory", and if you have a reasonable--but not too precise--familiarity with the facts of Beethoven's life, you will be very entertained, shocked and intrigued at the story.

    Real quick historical synopsis: In papers found posthumously, Beethoven did indeed mention an "immortal beloved", much to the surprise of the world which thought him to be a solitary soul. The identity of this person has vexed historians for centuries, and speculation has been the cause of many a knock-down, drag-out fight amongst them (those historians can be pret-ty feisty). Here we have a possible explanation which pulls together several interesting episodes from Beethoven's life and weaves them into a believable plot. The historians can duke it out whilst we can enjoy the show.

    Gary Oldman, as always, delivers a fantastic performance which elevates this film to classic status. Sure, there are flaws in this film, but nothing that cannot be overlooked in light of the acting and of course the music. My only gripe is that the film focuses very heavily on plot (and rightly so, I guess), but in so doing, it sacrifices the poetry of the situation. We rarely get a good, quiet, reflective moment where we can look into the tortured soul of the composer. Instead we get plenty of fiery episodes and situational drama, which is good but can leave us exhausted after a while.

    Contrast this with the film Amadeus which breaks up the action with carefully crafted monologues and time to breathe & reflect. "Immortal Beloved" can seem like a fast paced action flick compared to that--but again I suppose the complex plot demands it. This is really a minor criticism. Although Amadeus needn't worry about losing its place in my list of best movies ever, Immortal Beloved is certainly worthy of playing in the same league.
    helpful•5
    0
    • rooprect
    • Mar 21, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 27, 1995 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Hungarian
    • Also known as
      • Tình Yêu Bất Hủ
    • Filming locations
      • Zentralfriedhof, Vienna, Austria
    • Production companies
      • Icon Entertainment International
      • Icon Productions
      • Majestic Films International
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,914,409
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $120,108
      • Dec 18, 1994
    • Gross worldwide
      • $9,914,409
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 1 minute
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
      • DTS
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Gary Oldman in Immortal Beloved (1994)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for Immortal Beloved (1994)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    New & Upcoming Superhero Movies and Series
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    These Stars Are on the Rise
    See the gallery

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Back to top
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.