Genio e follia

I never heard of Peter Warlock or Philip Heseltine but Jeremy Northam is a terrific actor. The script needs work but the film is a decent look at two personalities as different as Jekyll and Hyde. Warlock is a genius composer while Heseltine is a troubled music critic for the paper. In this film, there is a love story and the actress who plays his love interest does a memorable job in the role. The story is set before 1930 in England. The film tries to explain the sad life and madness that destroys the genius behind Warlock's brilliance. The love interest is the only one who seems genuinely concerned for his well-being while other characters seem to encourage his madness to produce genius. Sadly, his behavior is self-destructive to say the least.

I'm surprised to see this listed as a 1995 movie, because it's a "new release" in the video stores and the film's case has a date of 1999. I agree with Dick 108's review heartily. The acting is very good, and the story is interesting. Like Dick, I was intrigued and researched, on the 'Net, Peter Warlock, and found the the movie seems far from the truth. It may have been based on a book or article by one of Heseltine's friends, a Mr. Gray. More I won't say, because I don't want to spoil things for someone reading this before seeing the movie. The actor, Jeremy Northam, looks exactly like him.

Jeremy Northam is unbelievably BELIEVABLE in this film (as usual). Truly an under-used actor considering his remarkable ability to "become" his character. (Granted, he tends to play similar characters over again, but why stop when you're on a roll--or role?) I've read much about the film's historical inaccuracies, and while that may be, people still also rent "Immortal Beloved" which is similarly inaccurate but a well-made film nonetheless. Northam is on the same pedestal occupied in my mind by Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman. They are incredibly REAL in their portrayals--you'd believe anything they tell you regardless of how bizarre because they come across as genuine. Aside from one corny sequence in this film (a recollection that includes a flaming piano--no kidding, it's terribly done), the film is engaging and well-shot. (For real Northam lovers, there's also some ultra-high-quality butt...and then some...footage. He's a sex God.) Whoof! Apart from that, still a well-made, enjoyable film. (But especially BECAUSE of that.)

I've been a fan of early 20th century British music for years, have many recordings of Peter Warlock's works, and have read about Philip Heseltine <no spoilers>. I have NEVER come across any reference to the convoluted plot twists that the movie purports are part of his life story. A drunkard, yes, but a psychotic? Hmmm. Good performances, tho, and perhaps the BEST performance is by Sylvia McNair, whose golden voice graces most of the pop and classical pieces in the soundtrack. (One good Warlock story...he wrote one of his most famous Christmas carols along with a poet friend, and sold it to a newspaper in order to have enough money to get drunk on Christmas.)

After seeing on video this extraordinary schizo biopic I accessed the Peter Warlock home page and found that except for his death by "gas poisoning" (which was not declared to be suicide) there is very little truth in the film. Including the music. Only one song in the film was actually written by Warlock - the rest of Warlock's music was written for the film. There was no secret of Warlock's identity and he apparently he did not review his own music. But there is a splendid performance by Jeremy Northam and the sets and costumes are great. Just don't believe the story.