Rhapsody (film)
| Rhapsody | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Charles Vidor |
| Written by |
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| Produced by | Lawrence Weingarten |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Robert H. Planck |
| Edited by | John D. Dunning |
| Music by |
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Production company | |
| Distributed by | MGM |
Release date |
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Running time | 115 minutes |
| Land | Vereinigte Staaten |
| Sprache | Englisch |
| Budget | $1,979,000[1] |
| Box office | $3,292,000[1] |
Rhapsody is a 1954 American musical drama film directed by Charles Vidor and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Vittorio Gassman, John Ericson, and Louis Calhern based on the novel Maurice Guest by Henry Handel Richardson.
Plot summary
The film is about a debutante who follows the man she loves and hopes to marry to Zurich where he studies violin at a conservatory.
There she meets a piano student who falls madly in love with her. She must then choose between this man who loves her more than his music and the violinist who loves his music more than anything else.[2] Rhapsody features music by Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninov, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Felix Mendelssohn, Claude Debussy, and Pablo de Sarasate.
Detailed Plot
The film opens with debutante Louise Durant (Elizabeth Taylor) announcing to her haughty father (played by Louis Calhern) that she is leaving their luxurious home to go to Zurich with her lover--an aspiring violinist, Paul Bronte (Vittorio Gassman). Her father disapproves. She cannot leave, because he needs her as hostess of his luncheon of VIPs. He sees no reason to waste time with aspiring artists, when he has the cream of the crop at the luncheon she is about to miss. Besides, she lacks the discipline to study piano at the conservatory. She scoffs, "You'll see. Have you ever stopped me from doing what I want?" He replies "No".
The couple joyfully motor to Zurich in a convertible. Paul playfully muses how crazy it is to take her, when he must work.
In Zurich, the couple bring Louise's bags to her luxurious new flat. Paul inquires about the "For Rent" sign that the matron (played by Celia Lovsky) had just removed from the front window. She explains that the attic had just been rented to an American (James Guest, played by John Ericson). When the affable Guest shows, Bronte tries to convince him that new students must give up their rooms for senior students like himself. Guest won't be conned. Guest becomes immediately infatuating with Durant, but she doesn't notice, while Bronte lets him know she is off-limits.
Durant goes to the conservatory to audition, but must wait for the person before her, who plays beautiful piano. She is pleased to discover it is Guest. The professor who oversaw the audition next ushers in Bronte. They practice while Durant impatiently waits. Tension mounts as Bronte prioritizes practice over companionship with Durant.
When Bronte learns he is scheduled to perform at the Zurich Symphony in three weeks, he tells a deeply disappointed Durant he will have no time for her until the concert. Meanwhile a grand piano arrives for Durant and Guest tries it out. The two play together as friends and she gives him a key to her flat so he can practice.
Durant's father comes to Zurich. He is surprised, because she didn't tell him Bronte would be there. The father's disdain is palpable. When she tells her father than Bronte will be performing Tchaikovsky at the symphony, and asks if he will go, her father says, "No. I have already heard Tchaikovsky." When the father asks Bronte for a serenade, Bronte parts saying, "No. I only perform for pleasure or money. Something you would understand." Father admits he doesn't like Bronte's arrogance; Daughter retorts "You dislike him because he is like you and doesn't crumple like all the other men." Father goes on to correctly predict their relationship is doomed, because Bronte can't give her the attention she needs, that he is a hummingbird that can't be caged.
Bronte's solo at the Symphony is a smashing success During the concert Durant unsuccessfully tries to capture his attention, but he is oblivious, engrossed in the music, like everyone else but her. When she goes back stage, the joyous crowd surrounds him and she can't get near, but sees him spontaneously kiss another woman in ecstatic celebration. When music agents shuffle him off to a back room to make deals, Durant calls out to him, but he waives her off. When he leaves the room hours later, she is sulking. Energized and happy to see her, he spouts off all his future plans for a tour with a finale in Rome, but indicates she can't go with as she would be a distraction. The couple get into it. She is angry he has no time for her, while he is angry she is "trying to ruin" the joy of his momentous success.
The next day Durant sees him leave on the tour with another woman. She tries to kill herself with pills, but Guest intervenes.
As Guest nurses Durant to health and gives her the cloying affection she needs. She is determined to leave Zurich and the awful memories. Guest, head over heals in love with a woman who only views him as a friend, is determined to go with her--even though it means giving up his music studies. She lets him follow her to Paris, where she marries him to try to get over Bronte.
Bronte bumps into Durant in Paris, and the two admit they have not fallen out of love. Meanwhile, Guest is floundering, squandering Durant's money on booze--undoubtedly not getting the romantic attention he desires and letting his piano skills deteriorate from not practicing. Bronte is disgusted with him.
When Durant admits to her father she must divorce Guest, he urges her to wait and take the high road, "Don't kick him when he is down. Help him get up first." And she does. She moves back with him to Zurich and puts all of her energy into making sure Guest practices. Guest eventually secures a solo performance at the Symphony, nearly identical to Bronte's. But just prior to the most important performance of his life, Durant refuses to give him a token of herself for good luck. She insists he doesn't need her to succeed, that his talent is from his work alone. She confesses that she intends to leave with Bronte after the performance. Guest is devastated.
At the concert, Guest becomes visibly distraught on the verge of crying throughout the performance, as he repeatedly checks and sees that the chair reserved for his wife is empty. Despite his grief, he pulls off an exceptional performance. When the crowd has gone and he is about to leave, he discovers Durant is there. "I thought you were leaving." Crying, she tells him she saw the entire performance. They hug as lovers.
Cast
- Elizabeth Taylor as Louise Durant
- Vittorio Gassman as Paul Bronte
- John Ericson as James Guest
- Louis Calhern as Nicholas Durant
- Michael Chekhov as Prof. Schuman
- Barbara Bates as Effie Cahill
- Richard Hageman as Bruno Fürst
- Richard Lupino as Otto Krafft
- Celia Lovsky as Frau Sigerlist
- Stuart Whitman as Dove
- Madge Blake as Mrs. Cahill
- Jack Raine as Edmund Streller
- Birgit Nielsen as Madeleine
- Jacqueline Duval as Yvonne
- Norma Nevens as Student Pianist
Production
The novel Maurice Guest was originally published in 1908.[3][4]
Rhapsody was filmed on location in Florhofgasse, Zürich (the street scenes) and Pontresina, Kanton Graubünden in Switzerland.[5]
Reception
According to MGM records, the film earned $1,291,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $2,001,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $217,000.[1]
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
- 2002: AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions – Nominated[6]
References
- ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
- ^ "Rhapsody". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
- ^ "MAN, MUSIC, AND LOVE". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 3 October 1908. p. 6. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ^ "IN GRIM EARNEST". Western Mail. Perth: National Library of Australia. 10 October 1908. p. 50. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
- ^ "Locations for Rhapsody". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-19.
External links
- Rhapsody at IMDb
- Henry Handel Richardson (1909) Maurice Guest, Duffield & Company, New York