L'appel du destin

"Prelude A La Gloire "( 1950) was the first movie by Georges Lacombe starring Wiz kid Roberto Benzi ;This film was awarded a prize in the Festival De Cannes and Lacombe directed a second movie with Roberto Benzi where the young conductor was joined by Jean Marais : " L' Appel Du Destin" (1953)

" L' Appel Du Destin" is not as successful as the first effort ;here the maudlin side of melodrama shows ;none of the two movies was autobiographical ,although some events can have happened in true life in the first film.

L' Appel Du Destin" is pure fiction and casts Jean Marais as Roberto's father ,a former musician ,a failed piano player who has sunk into alcoholism .After attending one of his son's concerts ,dad meets the teenager who lives with his straight mother (who is,of course ,still in love with the barfly).Roberto urges his dad to resume his career :his dream is to conduct an orchestra in which his old man would play the piano .I won't write a spoiler and won't tell if the boy will get his wish .

The screenplay is almost entirely devoid of interest ;the main interest is purely musical and it's really mind boggling to watch this fourteen year old person conduct musicians some of whom could be his great grand father.Filmed partly on location in Venice .