L'accompagnatrice

Paris –1943. Paris is going through one of the hardest winters of its history -occupied and tortured by the Germans, freezing and starving, the City of Light hardly deserves its name. But Sophie Vasseur only just witnesses that misery. She has been recruited as the accompanist of Irene Brice, an opera singer, one of the few 'lights' still shining in Paris. Her husband Charles, a brilliant and rich businessman who loves her passionately, efficiently supports her agents and sponsors in protecting her from the unbearable reality, and Sophie, the shadow, cuddles in the shelter. Through all the ordeals that cost the life of so many, Charles carries Irene and Sophie, not even surprised to find themselves safe in London. But untouched by the universal suffering, Irene will create her own. Sophie could do something, but, unable to get out of her role of passive shadow and to understand she has power on her own, will she? A fascinating picture of destiny and how it affects human beings, whether they try to control it or not. Beautiful classical music too.

"L'Accompagnatrice" (1992) is fascinating when it focuses on the dynamics between its two main female characters: the Russian Elena Safonova is glorious as the opera singer (you can certainly tell why someone, regardless of gender, would be obsessed with her) and Romane Bohringer (acting alongside her real-life father) is perfectly enigmatic in the title role. It is somewhat less successful when it tries to expand its canvas too much, and deal (rather superficially) with French collaboration - vs. - resistance during WWII. Still, it's an accomplished film overall, and opera lovers may rate it even higher than my *** out of 4.

The 3 characters are played so well throughout the movie. Romane Bohringer did such a superb job of portraying Sophie, so silently but yet so powerfully. The characters are so rich in context. The emotions of the characters are told so subtly, but yet so clearly and so easy to get in touch with, especially that of Charles. The lip-synching of Irene is also a super job. I watch it as if it was a live concert. The music is superb !! Don't miss the film if you love classical music !!

Yelena Safonova is the blonde diva that gets the spotlights and the applause. Romane Bohringer is the self-deprecating accompanying pianist who stays in the dark and is painfully aware of here subsidiary role. One has a husband, a lover, and beautiful clothes, while the other looks very much like the starving student she was at the beginning of the story. One dialog tells all: when the diva makes a disparaging remark about a young man who seems interested in the pianist, she answers "Oh I'm sure he's nothing compared to *your* love affairs.

The rhythm and settings are beautiful without ever taking first place to the story.

The Accompanist sure is an interesting movie. All about a girl who takes on a role as a piano player for a famous diva. In return, she escapes from the somewhat lower class life she leads, playing for a woman who is married to a guy who has suspicious leanings towards the Nazi party, but they're forced to flee anyways.

So yes, what we have here is a hybrid of The Pianist and The Princess Diaries. The plot goes further then that, exploring the many courtship the Piano player and yes, the Diva has. They also have to deal with political pressures brought on by the war, and her husband who can't really do much except go into one shady business deal after another.

The performances here are great, with the standout being Elena Safonova as the diva herself. All eyes are on her in every scene she's in, and what A voice! Not too sure if it's her own voice though…The rest of the cast is great as well.

Finally, did anyone else notice how this compares to the life of Celine Dion and her husband, Rene Angelil? Just wondering.