Un grande amore di Paganini

1st watched 4/22/2000 - 4 out of 10 (Dir-Bernard Knowles): Slow-moving romanticized story of classic violinist named Paganini. The movie seems to want to woo the women and share the man's story but doesn't do either very well.

Considering Leonard Maltin's brief review that the music overshadowed the story, it should be noted that the violin tracks were played by Yehudi Menuhin, and arranged into an exceptional introduction to that instrument for impressionable minds like my own at the time.

Stewart Granger as Niccolò Paganini? Not an obvious choice, I'd have said - but he actually carries it off quite well; especially since much of his scenes involve quite a lot of fairly sophisticated violin playing and his rather tousled locks get in his eyes once too often, too! Sadly, though, the rest of this rarely ascends beyond the mediocrity of a period melodrama - a love story between him and Phyllis Calvert ("Jeanne") whose mother has aspirations for a far more advantageous marriage for her daughter than this mere musician. Enter a very dapper Dennis Price as her suitor "Paul de la Rochelle" who rarely looks comfortable either with his spray-on uniform or his rather stilted lines. It's rescued, as is so often the case, by Cecil Parker as Luigi Germi, his manager/friend who somehow manages to keep Paganini on the straight and narrow as his rise to international stardom coincides with his rather complicated love life. The musical score is marvellous - though the sound mixing on this does rather drown out any dialogue - and the costumes all look the part excellently. At times it is all just a bit too theatrical, but as an introduction to the music of this particular maestro, it is well worth a watch (or maybe just a listen...?)

This movie is pretty a good costume drama from the Gainsborough stable about famous Italian violinist Nicolo Paganini, set in the 17th century around the time of Napoleon. The Film on a basic level, is a rags to riches tale and also includes a love story, various complications amount as a result. On a technical level I was really impressed with how Stuart Granger did all the violin finger movements and bow strokes himself, all seemingly in synchronization with all the musical selections played in the film. No double or close up shots here, ala Hurmoresque with John Garfield. He's quite convincing as the 17th century violinist. The music in the film is great and a real treat for anyone who likes the violin, (though I'm no expert here, just very pleasing to the ear). The title might be seen as a little misleading, as the bow isn't really magic at all, though I suppose some might beg to differ when talking about a Strativarious. This is definitely one of the better Gainsborough costume pictures. All in all a great film with good performances all around, and I'd give it 3.5 stars out of 5.

Just one postscript, if anyone is after a good read I can wholeheartedly recommend Stuart Granger's autobiography "Sparks Fly Upwards". His real life was as much of a drama and adventure as it was in any of his movies.

I'm deeply upset about this fictional dramatization on real Niccoló Paganini's life, if someone is willing to make a biographic picture, is upmost importance focusi the real facts, it wasn't happened here, he never had a manager as implied on movie, never had any romance with Jeanne de Vermont and also never got a Stradivarius as wrongly exposed here , his father was his own manager, just small details are accurate as compulsive gambler and a womanizer, it's all true, Stewart Granger has a strong similarity with real character, even the sound coming from by the fantastic violinist Yehudi Menuhin, Stewart Granger never was dubbed on playing by anyone, he is enough skilled to play in the pass on the recorded music, also his posture with the violin seems perfect, the title isn't correct neither, The Magic Bow sounds that the violin was the major movie's star, instead the great virtuous Italian Paganini regarded the best and skillful violinist of all time, applying news techniques on violin, aside the fabulous performance of Stewart Granger and Cecil Parker and the marvelous Paganini's music worthwhile to see this picture!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7