The Song of Names (2019)

Several years after his childhood friend, a violin prodigy, disappears on the eve of his first solo concert, an Englishman travels throughout Europe to find him.

Director:

François Girard

Writers:

Jeffrey Caine (screenplay by), Norman Lebrecht (based on the novel by)

Stars:

Eddie Izzard, Gerran Howell, Stanley Townsend

7 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eddie Izzard	...	BBC Radio Announcer (voice)
Gerran Howell	...	Martin (17-23)
Stanley Townsend	...	Gilbert Simmonds
Amy Sloan	...	Enid Simmonds
Marina Hambro	...	Young Helen
István Fazekas	...	1951 Conductor
Tim Roth	...	Martin Simmonds
Catherine McCormack	...	Helen Simmonds
Steven Hillman	...	Mayor Froggatt
Sharon Percy	...	Jenny Burrows
Eszter Lugosi	...	Clarinet Girl
Áron Rátkay	...	Cello Boy (as Rátkay Áron)
Eszter Túrós	...	Piano Accompanist
Annamária Makai	...	Piano Girl (as Makai Annamária)
Viktoria Kay	...	Ellen Stemp

Storyline

Several years after his childhood friend, a violin prodigy, disappears on the eve of his first solo concert, an Englishman travels throughout Europe to find him.

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Plot Keywords:

child prodigy | musician | violinist | world war two | flashback | 

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Taglines:

One Man's Search for His Childhood Friend - A Violin Prodigy Orphaned in the Holocaust - Who Has Vanished.

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Mystery | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some strong language, brief sexual material, thematic elements, and smoking

Did You Know?

Trivia

Saul Rubinek, who played Mr Feinman, is the son of Holocaust survivors and was born in a Refugee camp in Germany

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Goofs

The sidewalks in London have tactile tiles for the blind pedestrians. They weren't mandated or installed until after the passage of Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This sequence of film took place in the first half of 1980s.

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Quotes

Martin: It's NOT a competition.
Helen: Everything's a competition, read your Darwin.

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Connections

Featured in 2020 Canadian Screen Awards for Cinematic Arts (2020)

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Soundtracks

Sonata No. 13, Andante (Violin Solo)
Written by Giuseppe Tartini
Performed by Max Macmillan

User Reviews

Tears streamed down my cheeks

This is a wonderful and haunting film. It tells the story of two boys who grow up together. They are brothers through circumstances: the violinist child prodigy from the Warsaw Jewish community and the London lad who eventually befriends him when they are brought together. The story revolves around the sudden disappearance, on the day of his virtuoso concert, of the prodigy. Only near the end of the film do we discover why.

The film brilliantly deals with multiple layers and flashbacks, with perfect pacing and quite outstanding acting. The musical score is phenomenal.

This is a film about tragedy and loss, about how trauma lives on. It perfectly weaves the themes of ethnicity and religion.

It's a superb, haunting, film which I have not done justice here. In part that's because I don't want to do a review with spoilers. You have to go and see this film and allow your soul to be transported by the wonderful cinematography, script and musical score.

They don't make films as beautiful and brilliant as this very often. Go see it.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Canada Hungary UK Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Song of Names

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$39,452, 29 December 2019

Gross USA:

$1,077,584

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,138,962

Company Credits

Production Co:

Serendipity Point Films, Lyla Films, Feel Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Color:

Color