Matters of the Heart

Matters of the Heart contains dramatic dialogue which makes each scene so poignant. I could relate to each character in various ways. This movie is about life, and sadly, also about death, but it touches, then penetrates, the deepest core of the heart. In addition, the piano music is amazing, as each piece is played so well and constructively placed in the dramatic scenes. What remains a question I've had, is are the actors (Christopher Gartin and Jane Seymour) actually playing the piano in this movie? If that's not the case, the movie is directed so well, it could actually fool you. The piano music, the conversations, and the intensity of feelings dramatized in this movie will leave you breathless.

In Cromwell, the sensitive teenager Steven Harper (Chris Gartin) dreams on becoming a pianist. However, his rude father Glenn Harper (James Stacy), who is a disabled veteran from Vietnam, questions his masculinity since he wanted his son to work in his hardware store with his uncle Frank Harper (Geoffrey Lewis). When Steven finds that the famous pianist and composer Hadley Norman (Jane Seymour) is living recluse in Cromwell, he approaches to her. A couple of days later, Hadley finds that Steven is a talented pianist. She becomes his teacher and plans his participation in a contest in Boston. Despite their difference of age, they fall in love with each other. Out of the blue, Hadley constantly goes to New York, and Steven believes she is meeting her former husband John Norman (Clifford David). One day, Hadley disappears and Steven sees John packing her stuff. Then he tells to Steven what happened to Hadley.

"Matters of the Heart" is one of the most beautiful romances ever made. The sensitive story of a woman and her protégé falling in love with each other is adorable. In the lead role is Jane Seymour, certainly one of the most beautiful actresses of the world; in the soundtrack, classical music. The result is an unforgettable film that unfortunately was only released on VHS in Brazil. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Tarde Demais para o Amor" ("Too Late for Love")

The answer is "No" the actors are not playing the piano. The most telling clue is the hands are located in the wrong registers relative to the music when you see them playing. The close ups show the hands of at least two others who knows how to play the pieces, but the effort expended does not match the soundtrack. If you want to see a better match of actor, stand-in player, and musical dubbing, go see The Seventh Veil, if you can find it on a movie channel.

Otherwise, this is a fairly standard TV movie of a nearly burned out artist who finds a protégé and some emotional fulfillment in a talented young man, Steven.

I guess this was a weeper of the week back in the heyday of 1970's TV movies. Lots of chances to exercise and practice acting, but not enough time to fully develop the story or characters.

Not a *really* bad performance, but this formula movie didn't have any surprises. Jane Seymour does a great job as the recluse musician, but the story does not even nearly rise to her level. Christopher Gartin does have his moments making all the goofy mistakes that an 18-year-old really makes.

n.b. in the 1990's, there were no rich famous people driving MGA's.

Though this movie is not so much evaluated or taken it up as movie topics in Japan, I like it and saw it twice on Video in recent. Japanese title is "a Requiem to my lover", I think it is really right title and remain deeply in my heart forever. The scene in which she is about to die in her bed in the hospital and try to listen to his performance in Piano Competition from radio stirs me up so strong!