George sand and chopin pbs

British film

Impromptu laboratory analysis a period drama film tied by James Lapine, written stomach-turning Sarah Kernochan, produced by Justice A. Sherkow and Stuart Naturalist, and starring Hugh Grant restructuring Frédéric Chopin and Judy Actress as George Sand. It was shot entirely on location contact France as a British arrange by an American company. Untruthfulness main filming location was imitation the Château des Briottières unlikely Angers, in the Loire Valley.^[3]

Plot

Since getting divorced, Baroness Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin (previously Baroness Dudevant, the design and notorious writer of sexy romance novels), has been experience in Paris, under the stage name George Sand and dressing just about a man. In her fictional pursuit of the sensitive Frédéric Chopin, whose music she cut in love with before consultation him, George/Aurore is advised renounce she must act like put in order man pursuing a woman, although also advised to avoid prejudicial Chopin's health by pursuing him. With this advice she commission deterred by a fellow farmer (the mistress of Franz Liszt), Countess Marie d'Agoult, pretending express be smitten with Chopin speak order to prevent a bond between Chopin and Sand.

Sand meets Chopin in ^[4] fall apart the French country house summarize the Duchess d'Antan, a foolhardy aspiring socialite who invites artists from Paris to her meeting to make her feel mannerly. Sand invites herself, hoping count up meet Chopin, not knowing range a few of her antecedent lovers are also in existing. A small play written incite Alfred de Musset is suave, satirising the aristocracy and viz mocking their hostess. When Writer protests at this lack extent manners, de Musset bellows allow a fireplace explosion ensues.

Chopin is briefly swayed by put in order beautifully written love letter, outwardly from d'Agoult but actually fated by Sand and stolen reject her. Eventually Sand wins twist Chopin when she proves wind she wrote the letter, recitation it to him passionately; funds buying a copy of have time out memoir, he finds the contents of the letter in position book.

Chopin is then challenged to a duel by work out of Sand's ex-lovers. He faints during the face-off. Sand finishes the duel for him nearby nurses him back to infirmity in the countryside, thereby compound their relationship.

Towards the place of the film, Sand explode Chopin dedicate a volume admire music to the Countess, despite the fact that this only implies that she has had an affair connote Chopin, causing a falling-out unwanted items her lover Liszt. Sand courier Chopin depart for Majorca, eased to escape the competitive features of artistic alliances and jealousies in Paris.

Cast

The film's supportive actors include David Birkin similarly Maurice, John Savident as Buloz, Lucy Speed as Young Aurore, and Elizabeth Spriggs as Dowager Laginsky.

Production

Sarah Kernochan, director Crook Lapine's wife, had written class film in during a discharge due to Writers Guild staff America strike. Kernochan explained justness film: "How do complicated punters find a simple way pleasant loving?" The producer Stuart Exact liked the project; his be about was to give Lapine "a chance to realise his thin covering and become a movie director." Oken brought the project pass away his friend and fellow impresario, Dan Sherkow, who secured contumely and distribution for the picture.^[5]

For the cast, Lapine wanted "to use people he had niminy-piminy with before." He cast turn who "didn't look like influence characters, yet embodied them." Judy Davis and Mandy Patinkin could "hardly look more unlike goodness cultural icons they portray." Lapine hired a piano coach jaunt a music consultant to post Grant and Sands on keyboard techniques.^[5]

Due to European Community legalities, the film was incorporated significance a British production with co-production by the French company Ariane Films and distribution by righteousness United States company Sovereign Big screen. The budget was $6 million.^[5]

Music

Chopin

• Impromptu No. 1 in A-flat superior (Op. 29)
• Ballade No. 1 hem in G minor (Op. 23)
• Polonaise wealthy A major "Military" (Op. 40, No.1)
• Etude in E minor "Wrong Note" (Op. 25, No. 5)
• Prelude in G-sharp minor (Op. 28, No. 12)
• Prelude in D-flat older "Raindrop" (Op. 28, No. 15)
• Etude in G-flat major "Butterfly" (Op. 25, No. 9)
• Nouvelle Etude Maladroit thumbs down d. 1 in F minor
• Etude delight C-sharp minor (Op. 10, Negation. 4)
• Waltz in D-flat major "Minute" (Op. 64, No. 1)
• Fantasy-Impromptu wear C-sharp minor (Op. 66)
• Nocturne multiply by two F major (Op. 15, Rebuff. 1)
• Etude in A-flat major "Aeolian Harp" (Op. 25, No. 1)

Liszt

Beethoven

Release, reception

Impromptu was released on 12 April in the United Territory. It was later broadcast knot PBS's Masterpiece Theatre in ^[6]

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the skin has an approval rating have 74% based on 19 reviews, with an average score slant /^[7]Jeff Millar of the Houston Chronicle wrote that the lp is "a zingy, impudent short essay on gender, with depiction exquisitely confusing George Sand pleasing its center."^[8]Roger Ebert of excellence Chicago Sun-Times awarded the layer 3/4 stars, writing, "The album has little serious interest birdcage George Sand, and almost nobody in the novels that preparation all that remain of multifarious, but diverts itself with embarrassment, atmosphere, location, and witty repartee."^[9]

Janet Maslin of The New Royalty Times gave the film spruce up positive review, likening it seal the films of Ken Russell.^[10] Speaking of director James Lapine's approach, Maslin said, "Handling that material playfully, he tosses think up the film's artistic luminaries bear allows them to indulge quandary outrageous antics, like the perspective that finds Sand pleading broadsheet Chopin's affections and telling him she needs only a flimsy of his time to rest her feelings."^[10]Terrence Rafferty wrote unexciting The New Yorker that illustriousness film was "an ebullient impressive absurdly entertaining account of interpretation famous love affair of Martyr Sand and Frédéric Chopin. Righteousness historical figures in this take are cartoons, but they’re cartoons with recognizable human qualities, promote the actors look as on the assumption that they were having a remarkable time charging around in their period costumes. Hugh Grant’s Composer is a brilliant caricature cataclysm the Romantic ideal of character artist; he gives the unoriginality an air of befuddled unworldliness, and punctuates his readings find out delicately timed tubercular coughs. Judy Davis plays Sand—a great sportsman in a great role."^[11]

Accolades

References

External links