Interlude in Prague

Positive aspects: the settings in the style of 18th century, the costumes, the music of Mozart

but regrettably there are too much negative aspects in it: the script could be better - and no, it´s not based on facts as another review claimed: it's a fantasy story with fantasy persons, Mozart never met a Baron with name Saloka or a woman Suzuzana Lubtak, the story is completely fiction...lame fiction...only Josepha Duschek existed really. Besides that, most of the persons are wearing permanently wigs but those were already dated during this time period (1788)...moreover Mozart never visited Prague in this year (longer stays 1787,1791) and the film music in modern style between Mozarts music sucks really...it ruins the last oddment of authentic atmosphere in this movie. Don´t know what the filmmakers thought whilst deciding for this unsuitably music. Why don´t they use Mozarts music for all the scenes (they can choose from thousands of movements)

Really enjoyed this based on relatively unknown period in Mozart's life when he had an affair and was writing Don Giovanni. Beautifully directed, lovely music as you'd expect, and lots of insight into Mozart though the gripping story..

An interesting tale set at the time Mozart conducts The Marriage of Figaro in Prague, in 1786. In the opera, the count is determined to seduce the countess' maid, Susanna who is betrothed to Figaro, who works for the count. This opera was somewhat revolutionary in that it held up the count to scorn and ridicule. Aneurin Barnard was a delightful Mozart, as was Morfydd Clarke as the beautiful soprano to sing Cherubino on the new opera, Don Giovanni. However, Adrian Edmondson was excellent as Herr Lubach, but Dervla Kirwan just grated as his wife. The wonderful irony was seeing the angry and grief-stricken Mozart channeling his anger towards the baron in getting revenge. Lots of beautiful music, and period costumes.

This movie is a nuanced presentation of how toxic masculinity affected women in the 1700s. While ostensibly about Mozart and a performance of the marriage of Figaro in Prague, the movie provides a speculative fiction of how Mozart came to compose Don Giovanni, based on "real life" occurrences. We are presented with a highly credible representation of an abusive, powerful man who exploits women of all backgrounds with impunity. Although the theme is tragic, the celebration of the era's lifestyles and the magnificent music sugarcoat the grim message. Beautifully photographed with B role of historic Prague to enjoy, fine acting performances, and gorgeous costumes, it is suitable for 14+ audiences and serves as an important warning to girls and young women today.

I'm not usually a fan of films which place real historical figures into imaginary situations, but I'll make an exception for this inventive fable about how Mozart's Don Giovanni might have been inspired/influenced by people he meets while on a trip to Prague. The film's central characters are the man himself (Aneurin Barnard), beautiful and gifted young soprano Zuzanna Lubtak (Morfydd Clark), and Baron Saluka (James Purefoy), who from the very first scene does his best to live up to the inevitable adjectives that apply to all barons worthy of the title: cruel & wicked. If I tell you that Zuzanna's parents also feature prominently (played by Dervla Kirwin and Adrian Edmonson, channelling his earlier role as Count Rostov) I've told you almost everything you need to know to work out most of the plot without even seeing the film. Other notable characters are Josefa Duchek (Samantha Barks) and Barbarina (Ruby Bentall), a half feisty, half put-upon servant girl and Mozart admirer, who is unsurprisingly more than a little reminiscent of Poldark's Verity at times.

Great operas manage to be great in spite of melodramatic characters and implausible but predictable plots, and this film manages the same trick comfortably thanks to the energy of the main performers. But we're nowhere near "Amadeus" - Mozart here is a strangely sympathetic character despite some all too obvious moral lapses. But predictable and preposterous or not, I was gripped almost throughout, only becoming impatient at two points where I was confused as to whether what I was seeing was supposed to be real or Mozart's imagination.

Prague is such a perfect setting for a period drama of this type, that it perhaps made it a bit too easy not to ask questions about the makeup and costumes. Once again, the operatic theme possibly helped here. At this point I should perhaps warn potential viewers that this film thoroughly deserves its 15 certificate - this isn't cosy family-friendly period drama.

It would be remiss to end this review without mentioning the music, which is of course wonderful. Samantha Barks does a great job with her songs, but a special mention should go out to singer Christina Johnston, who takes over from Morfydd Clark when the going gets opera, and does so brilliantly. I must say I felt this was handled very well technically, because I wasn't ever disturbed by the transition between voices or particularly conscious that I was watching something dubbed.

Overall mark 9/10 - just those couple of scenes that left me wanting more clarity lost a mark for me - I was totally willing to forgive everything else some may see as shortcomings, because it just felt so right for this film's theme.