Cinema
Eroica
Walter Kolm-Veltée · 1949
Synopsis
Vienna, at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Learning that Bonaparte is about to enter the city, Beethoven composes a symphony in his honour; but when he is warned that he will have to dress properly to be received, he is disappointed in his idol and leaves for Hungary with his pupil Therese Brunsvik and her cousin, Giulietta Guicciardi, with whom he falls in love. Later, deafness sets in, and his nephew Karl, an unstable boy, causes him a great deal of worry.
Context
The shooting, delayed by money difficulties, was partly taken over by Karl Hartl, who was put in charge of the artistic direction; it took place at the Sievering studios, in Vienna and in the Burgenland, at a cost of six million schillings. Ewald Balser, who was preparing his own project on Beethoven, joined this one; Oskar Werner plays the nephew. The film was presented on 31 July 1949 at the Salzburg festival, then at Cannes and in São Paulo, and the author of a play about Beethoven brought a lawsuit after the premiere.
Who it is for
About a hundred minutes, in which Beethoven's music takes up a large place and the story follows the composer over several years.
Prizes and reception
Presented in competition at Cannes in 1949, and counted among the greatest successes of Austrian cinema.
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