Copying Beethoven (2006)

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

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers:

Stephen J. Rivele, Christopher Wilkinson

Stars:

Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Matthew Goode

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Credited 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:
Márta Hainfart	...	Soloist (Soprano)

Storyline

Vienna, 1824. In the days before the first performance of the Ninth Symphony, Beethoven needs help with copying out the charts, so a promising student of composition, Anna Holtz, 23, is sent to assist him. She not only aids the transcription of the notes, she provides guidance from the orchestra pit as Beethoven conducts the work's debut. During the next two years, the final ones of Beethoven's life, Anna provides assistance to the deaf, temperamental, ailing man. In return, he tutors her in composition and explains to her the ideas and principles of Romanticism. He tries to speak for God.

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Plot Keywords:

music student | music copyist | musical composition | symphony | student | 

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Taglines:

The passion behind the genius

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual elements

Details

Official Sites:

Myriad Pictures

Country:

USA Germany Hungary

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 March 2007 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

L'élève de Beethoven

Filming Locations:

Hungary

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$70,460, 12 November 2006, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$352,786, 31 December 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Myriad Pictures, VIP 2 Medienfonds

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bill Stewart died shortly after its release.

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Goofs

While conducting the 9th, Beethoven starts and ends with a baton but in the quite interlude he is not holding it.

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Quotes

Ludwig van Beethoven: Loneliness is my religion.

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Soundtracks

Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor Op. 10
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy
Courtesy of Decca Music Group Limited, part of Universal Music Group International

User Reviews

It's a fantasy!

For those of you who have trashed this film with comments about the music not being accurate for the times or there was no such thing as a female copyist,etc, can't you go along with the fact that it's a fantasy? I saw it at a screening last night, and I thoroughly enjoyed it...for what it is, a made-up story to give us some insight into what might have been in Bethoven's mind toward the end of his life. I felt it did just that. It is well acted, directed, and the screenplay is very inventive. I certainly can't speak for the director, Ms. Holland, but while watching this film, I had the sense that she strongly wanted me, as the viewer, to feel a certain way so that I could get into the heart of what she was portraying. It worked, because several times I was totally drawn into the scenes and forgot I was in the theater. That's a big cue for me that it's a good film. Go see it, and decide for yourself.