Le violon rouge (1998)

Director:

François Girard

Writers:

Don McKellar (written by) &
François Girard (written by)

Release Date:

11 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Mystery | Music

Tagline:

Passion Is Timeless

Plot:

A perfect red-colored violin inspires passion, making its way through three centuries over several owners and countries, eventually ending up at an auction where it may find a new owner.

Plot Keywords:

Violin | Auction | Secret | Violinist | Passion

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 19 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Carlo Cecchi	...	Nicolo Bussotti (Cremona)
Irene Grazioli	...	Anna Bussotti (Cremona)
Anita Laurenzi	...	Cesca (Cremona)
Tommaso Puntelli	...	Apprentice (Cremona)
Samuele Amighetti	...	Boy (Cremona)
Jean-Luc Bideau	...	Georges Poussin (Vienna)
Aldo Brugnini	...	Assistant (Cremona)
Christoph Koncz	...	Kaspar Weiss (Vienna)
Clotilde Mollet	...	Antoinette Pussin (Vienna)
Florentín Groll	...	Anton von Spielmann (Vienna)
Johannes Silberschneider	...	Father Richter (Vienna)
Rainer Egger	...	Brother Christophe (Vienna)
Paul Koeker	...	Brother Gustav (Vienna)
Wolfgang Böck	...	Brother Michael (Vienna)
Josef Mairginter	...	Brother Franz (Vienna)

Also Known As:

The Red Violin (Canada: English title) (UK) (USA)
Il violino rosso (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality.

Runtime:

131 min | France:140 min

Country:

Canada | Italy | UK

Language:

French | English | Mandarin | Italian | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:LH | Philippines:PG-13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Chicheley Hall, Chicheley, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

When Frederick Pope prepares to play his original, inspired piece in the rotunda, just after the conductor raises his staff you can see Joshua Bell (who is the actual solo violinist who performed on the movie soundtrack) as one of the violinists in the orchestra.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the auction of the violin, Suzanne on the telephone first ordered "$270,000", then ordered "$300,000". But in the next clip of the same scene of the auction, "$300,000" was ordered by Nicholas Olsberg, and Suzanne ordered "$320,000". However, the two scenes are supposed to be the same.

Quotes:

Charles Morritz: What do you do when the thing you most wanted, so perfect, just comes?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ancient Evil 2: Guardian of the Underworld (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

O Richard! O mon Roi!

Absolutely wonderful

I thought this might be one of those films that would be "good for me" to see. I was mildly intrigued by descriptions of the story I had read and with the trailer, so I thought to take a chance. I took someone very close to me, an actual violin prodigy. Coincidently, her and I have recently been searching for a decent violin for her that is affordable by actual humans, so we could relate to parts of the plot first-hand. We arrived to a very thin theater in one of those mega-complex theaters, and while everyone was queuing up next-door to see the latest blockbuster from Hollywood I settled into an amazingly comfortable seat with an excellent view and prepared for whatever might come.

I was shocked. This film turned out to be clearly one of the best movie going experiences I have had in ages. We see this as the story unfolds and is creatively told through the reading of the violin makers wife's fortune with a deck of Tarot cards. It is the story of a part of the life of a violin; of the humans who would dare to possess her beauty. A masterpiece of a craftsman's art, it is desired by many for it's acoustic perfection. But, as Tolstoy said, "how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness." Or more interestingly, from Saint Augustine: "Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked." There seems to be a curse on this instrument as it brings ill to those who manage to possess it. This makes the ending especially eerie.

An original, imaginative and thought provoking story that engaged one's mind as American films almost never do. I will not describe more of the plot, it's far too good to ruin. The memory of this film will be one long treasured.

Oh, as for my guest, the honest-to-God prodigy: she said the music was magnificent (it was) even though a real musician could tell the actors weren't playing, it was well done.