Intermezzo: A Love Story

The familiar David O. Selznick gloss is all over this minor 1939 soap opera, most noteworthy as the American film debut of 24-year old Ingrid Bergman. She was brought over from Sweden by Selznick for this melodramatic remake of the 1936 film which brought her great acclaim in her homeland. Her fresh-faced beauty and natural manner are intoxicating as she plays Anita Hoffman, first a piano teacher to the young daughter of renowned violinist Holger Brandt and then his accompanist on a world tour. It's a brief movie, only seventy minutes long, directed by Gregory Ratoff (more famous as the ulcer-ridden producer Max in "All About Eve") focusing on the illicit affair that develops between Anita and Holger.

Much of the story has to do with the guilt they both experience in terms of the familial repercussions, and the ending reflects as much. A role away from his Ashley Wilkes in "Gone With the Wind", obviously the more important Selznick movie in production a the time, Leslie Howard plays Holger in his familiar erudite manner. Veteran character actor Cecil Kellaway (later the monsignor in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner") plays the sage maestro who acts as the film's conscience. Scenes often seem strangely truncated to move the story briskly along. Beyond Bergman, the most accomplished aspects of the film are Gregg Toland's lush cinematography, Lyle Wheeler's art direction (making Monterey, California look very much like the Italian Riviera) and Max Steiner's romantic music (oddly uncredited). But the impossibly striking Bergman is the primary reason to see this predictably developed film. The 2004 DVD offers no extras.

After a successful tour ended in New York, the famous violinist Holger Brandt (Leslie Howard) returns to his home in Stockholm. In the birthday party of his beloved daughter Ann Marie (Ann Todd), he feels attracted by and plays with her piano teacher, Anita Hoffman (Ingrid Bergman), who is waiting for a music scholarship in Paris. They incidentally meet each other in a concert, have a drink together and begin a love affair. Holger leaves his family and travels with Anita in a tour, and later they spend vacation together. But Anita earns the expected scholarship and travels to Paris, and Holger decides to visit Ann Marie. A car accident changes the destiny of the Brandt family.

The debut of Ingrid Bergman in an English spoken film may be dated in 2006, but it is still a wonderful romance about a man in a middle age crisis, with a stabilized marriage, who sparks with the love of a talented gorgeous woman that worships him. The performances of Ingrid Bergman, Leslie Howard and Ann Todd are fantastic, and Ingrid looks like a pianist in the sequence in the birthday party. Her beauty shines in the awesome black and white photography and locations and her accent is lovely. The music score gives an additional touch of class to this film. The moralist conclusion seems suitable for the values of the society of 1939, leaving a message of forgiveness and understanding. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Intermezzo"

I normally don't gravitate toward melodramas nor would I approve, frankly, of a film that centers around adultery. However, this film has such much going for it that I wound up loving this movie the first time I saw it, and still do six viewings later.

Off the cuff, here are seven reasons why:

1) There IS a good message here: that a married person having a fling with a pretty young woman might be an exciting prospect but in the end, "you reap what you sow" and if either of the two parties has a conscience, the illicit romance will be doomed, especially if there are kids involved.

2 ) For male viewers, Ingrid Bergman, making her English-speaking debut, is a real feast for the eyes. She was one of the more naturally gorgeous women to grace the silver screen, I think.

3) Gregg Toland's photography. To fully appreciate his work, get the DVD for this film. Toland was one of the best ever, and this is a beautifully shot piece of work.

4) At 70 minutes, the film flies by, which also makes it easier to watch and enjoy multiple times.

5) Leslie Howard and John Halliday also were excellent in here as the two male leads. I thought Halliday, in particular, had some great words of wisdom.

6) For those who appreciate how difficult it is to forgive people, this ending contained another nice message.

7) Classical music lovers will very much appreciate the soundtrack to this film.

...from United Artists, David O. Selznick, and director Gregory Ratoff. Leslie Howard stars as Holger Brandt, a world-renowned concert violinist who is returning home after a lengthy tour. He's happy to be reunited with his wife (Edna Best) and his children, but things get complicated when Holger falls for Anita Hoffman (Ingrid Bergman), the piano teacher to his young daughter. Their love becomes all-encompassing, leading Holger to leave his family to be with Anita. But will the call of family prove too strong to ignore? Also featuring John Halliday, Cecil Kellaway, Enid Bennett, Douglas Scott, and Ann E. Todd as Ann Marie.

This was a remake of a 1936 Swedish film that had also starred Bergman. This was an important film to Howard, who took the role of Ashley in Selznick's Gone with the Wind in order to get this movie made. It's more than a little corny, and I found the score to be intrusive and manipulative to an almost laughable degree. I also liked the initial "love" scene between Howard and Bergman, when she plays piano accompaniment to his violin playing, the two in deep concentration, while his horrified family and friends look on as if the two musicians are literally having sex in front of them. It's amusing, but not in the way it was intended, I would think. The movie earned two Oscar nominations, for Best Cinematography and Best Score.

The picture deals with a young pianist (Ingrid Bergman) who acts as piano teacher of a child (Ann Todd) whose father( Leslie Howard) , happily married (Edna Best) , is a violinist . They fall in love and is originated the standard and eternal loving triangle . The movie has romance , tearjerker , drama, tragedy, a love story and is very entertaining .

The film is a remake in Hollywood style of a Swedish film directed by Gustaf Molander in 1936 and equally interpreted by Ingrid Bergman ; here plays his first US role , in fact , is best known as Bergman's American debut and became her in world star . Bergman is splendid and enticing , stunningly photographed by the maestro Gregg Toland (Citizen Kane) and she obtained extraordinary reviews . Leslie Howard is agreeable and sensible as the lover who bears a guilty feeling . Fine support cast is formed by Ann Todd as the daughter who strongly loves her daddy , Cecil Kellaway in one his usual roles as likable and comical friend and John Halliday . Excellent black and white cinematography and magnificent musical score by the master Max Steiner , nominated for Academy Award and being added classic music composed by Provost , Rachmaninov and Tchaykowsky . The motion picture will appeal to romantic films buffs and vintage cinema enthusiasts . Rating : Above average . Outstanding and enjoyable.