It's a historical drama set in Paris, France, from the 1750s to the 1780s. It recounts a highly fictionalized version of the pre-French Revolution life of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a biracial man of great ability who achieved high status in French society.
"Chevalier" opens with an encounter between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Joseph Prowen) and Joseph Bologne (Reuben Anderson/Kelvin Harrison Jr.) during one of Mozart's concerts in Paris. Bologne's musical skills on the violin impresses Mozart, who previously did not know Bologne. We then learn that Bologne was the son of a wealthy plantation owner, Georges de Bologne Saint-Georges (Jim High), and one of his slaves, Nanon (Ronke Adekoluejo). Georges recognizes his son's musical abilities and sends him to a private school in Paris at age seven.
The film then follows Joseph's growing skills in music as a player and composer and in the sport of fencing. He achieves rank in French society through the support of Queen Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton). His desire to head the Paris Opéra led him into competition with Christoph Gluck (Henry Lloyd-Huges). The opera he created featured Marie-Josephine de Montalembert (Samara Weaving), who became his lover. Her much older husband, Marc René, Marquis de Montalembert (Marton Csokas), disliked the theater and, in addition, was a racist.
Nanon arrives in Paris after Georges' death and reacquaints Joseph with his Creole heritage. Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (Alex Fitzalan), gradually encourages Joseph's engagement in the nascent French Revolution.
"Chevalier" does a good presentation of Bologne's ambivalent status in French society because of his biracial situation. However, it's less convincing on Bologne's movement to support the Revolution. More vigorous development of this theme would have improved the film. The music is excellent; the plot is disappointing in its divergence from reality.
Although Mozart and Bologne briefly lived together, there is no evidence for the movie's opening scenes. Joseph's father did not abandon him; they lived together for a time in Paris. Joseph clearly was a man about town, but the evidence for a relationship with Marie-Josephine is based only on a gossip columnist. The opera Joseph writes as the film's core closed after one night. Marie-Josephine's husband actually wrote comedies that featured his young wife.
"Chevalier" opens with an encounter between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Joseph Prowen) and Joseph Bologne (Reuben Anderson/Kelvin Harrison Jr.) during one of Mozart's concerts in Paris. Bologne's musical skills on the violin impresses Mozart, who previously did not know Bologne. We then learn that Bologne was the son of a wealthy plantation owner, Georges de Bologne Saint-Georges (Jim High), and one of his slaves, Nanon (Ronke Adekoluejo). Georges recognizes his son's musical abilities and sends him to a private school in Paris at age seven.
The film then follows Joseph's growing skills in music as a player and composer and in the sport of fencing. He achieves rank in French society through the support of Queen Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton). His desire to head the Paris Opéra led him into competition with Christoph Gluck (Henry Lloyd-Huges). The opera he created featured Marie-Josephine de Montalembert (Samara Weaving), who became his lover. Her much older husband, Marc René, Marquis de Montalembert (Marton Csokas), disliked the theater and, in addition, was a racist.
Nanon arrives in Paris after Georges' death and reacquaints Joseph with his Creole heritage. Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (Alex Fitzalan), gradually encourages Joseph's engagement in the nascent French Revolution.
"Chevalier" does a good presentation of Bologne's ambivalent status in French society because of his biracial situation. However, it's less convincing on Bologne's movement to support the Revolution. More vigorous development of this theme would have improved the film. The music is excellent; the plot is disappointing in its divergence from reality.
Although Mozart and Bologne briefly lived together, there is no evidence for the movie's opening scenes. Joseph's father did not abandon him; they lived together for a time in Paris. Joseph clearly was a man about town, but the evidence for a relationship with Marie-Josephine is based only on a gossip columnist. The opera Joseph writes as the film's core closed after one night. Marie-Josephine's husband actually wrote comedies that featured his young wife.