76. In Search Of Mozart; movie review

IN SEARCH OF MOZART
Cert TBA
129 mins
BBFC advice: TBA

Ah, that's better - following the scandalous Interlude In Prague, it was a relief to get back to the reality of the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Sure, Phil Grabsky's film shows evidence of a man who enjoyed drinking and sports but was also devoted to his family and, in particular, his wife, Constanze.
There is a portrayal of genius, the tragedy of death and the more mundane battle over financial security but not a bit of philandering.
Grabsky's enlightening In Search Of series is being re-released to complement the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig Van Beethoven.
As an aside, there is evidence that the two actually met.
In 1787, when Beethoven was 17, he departed his home town of Bonn on six months' leave from the court orchestra and arrived in Vienna, greeted by his great idol at his home.
I digress.
Grabsky's film is narrated by Juliet Stevenson and features interviews and performances with more than 70 of the greatest exponents of Mozart's music.
It is told through a 25,000-mile journey of every route that Mozart followed although I am not sure replicating motorway sign after motorway sign quite works, this resonates more when the camera alights upon some of the world's leading orchestras and great opera houses.
The documentary traces Mozart's life from his first piece to his last, pondering over 80 works in chronological order and revealing how they reflect his mindset and mood of their day.
And it bases its account on letters written between Mozart and his nearest and dearest - thus, putting to bed myths about his relationships, character and even his death.
In other words, it is a must for any classical music fan or, indeed, anyone who wants to understand the true story of one of the greatest names not only in music but in history.
It is two hours of putting fiction to bed and dealing with fact and, for that alone, it is to be welcomed.
Its style, however, is a tad academic and can drift into the dull. Also, maybe a few more scenes from his presented work than driving on modern-day autobahns would have worked better.

Reasons to watch: Definitive biography of one of the world's most famous names
Reasons to avoid: It is pretty high-brow with many academic contributors

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: From a distance
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? Around a week after Mozart’s father died on May 28, 1787, his pet starling passed away. Mozart didn’t go back to Salzburg for his father’s funeral but he did bury the starling in the grandest way with mourners in heavy veils marching in procession, singing hymns and listening to Mozart recite a poem he’d written for the occasion. 

The final word. Phil Grabsky: "I went an opera and it was a Mozart opera I didn't know. During the length of the opera, I thought who was he, what was the historical context? I wanted to do something that really told the story from start to finish with as much detail as I could in a two-hour film." You Tube

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