It’s been 100 years since the RMS Titanic sank, and people are still fascinated with the story. Enigmas and the unknown posses a certain romantic mystique and make for interesting film fodder. Written and directed by Bernard Rose, the 1994 biographical drama “Immortal Beloved” tells the story of renowned German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, and highlights on one of the most storied mysteries of all time.
Playing out in a fashion and style similar to “Citizen Kane,” “Immortal Beloved” begins with Beethoven’s death on March 26, 1827. Close friend and biographer Anton Schindler (Jeroen Krabbe) discovers an unsent love letter amongst his personal possessions. Written some time in 1812, the letter is addressed to an unnamed woman whom Beethoven has simply referred to as his “Immortal Beloved.”
As Schindler embarks on a mission to identify the woman the letter was intended for, the movie flashes back to the life of Beethoven (Gary Oldman) as he becomes one of the greatest musicians of all time.
A true period piece, “Immortal Beloved” gives great insight as to how people lived and acted in 1800s Europe. Everyone knows the name and music of Beethoven, but the movie teaches us greater details concerning his life. Beethoven was an avid admirer of French tyrant Napoleon Bonaparte, and a notorious womanizer (Beethoven’s piano piece “Fur Elise” is one of the most beautiful pieces of music of all time, and to this day no one knows the identity of the Elise it was written for).
Gary Oldman is a true stalwart of acting, and does a fantastic job of showing the world who Beethoven really was – a narcissist and a man that was truly disliked by many. “The only love he has is for himself” as one woman proclaims. It also shows in a powerful way the stigma caused by the deterioration of his hearing. In the days before Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, Ludwig van Beethoven actually had groupies, and elder citizens actually feared the type of music he was making as being far too revolutionary and corrupt. Beethoven was cool, and he knew that he was.
“Immortal Beloved” is an interesting film, and one you’ll learn a lot from. It gets a bit dull but is worth checking out for its historical significance. I’m grading it the same as I graded “Citizen Kane” (exactly one year ago today) but make no mistake about it, “Immortal Beloved” is a far better film, specifically because it’s based on an actual figure.
by – Matt Christopher
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