Displaying items by tag: Les Musiciens The Musicians movie

LES MUSICIENS/ THE MUSICIANS

France, 2025, 102 minutes, Colour.

Valerie Donzelli, Frederic Pierrot, Mathieu Spinosi, Emma Ravier, Daniel Garlitsky, Marie Vialle, Nicolas Bridet, Valentin Pradier, Gregory Montel.

Directed by Gregory Magne.

“If music be the food of love, play on…”. Shakespeare’s ideal, but he did not write of a number of clashing musicians, egos, all the preparation, rehearsals, for presuming creating a pleasing food of love.

From its title, clearly a film for music lovers. And, especially for those who appreciate the qualities, sounds, emotions of a string quartet. There will be quite a lot all music, but the film takes us behind the scenes, the instruments, the musicians, composer, the entrepreneur producing a concert, the technicians…

The situation is that of French businessman with a passion for music has been tracking down a set of instruments made by the famous Antonio Stratton diary. Avoiding has emerged, the daughter of the businessman checking its authenticity, defying her brother and the company board in buying the instrument at auction. Instruments now available, two violins, Viola and shallow, she sets about recruiting for world-renowned musicians.

The plan is to have a concert televised, worldwide with multinational contracts, in a church with perfect acoustics that her father admired, and then planning a peace composed by the French composer, also admired. And, there is a week for assembling the musicians, setting up the church, rehearsals.

The musicians are, to say the least, very temperamental at times. There is the vein violinist, referencing himself always in conversation, talented, moody, difficult for the others to put up with despite his surface charm. By contrast, there is the young woman who plays the Viola, an innate talent, never having gone to a music school (which irks the others) and, young, is also an influence on social media, many followers, and even more self-pity is, wanting the vein violinist to participate and his consequent tantrums (though finally looking at some and brothers self-satisfied with what he sees). The other two musicians have been a couple in the past, she very talented with the cello, he, blind, taking an opportunity in the past to leave his partner and go to Vienna for greater success.

All the ingredients for clash, recriminations, memories of the past, taking stances, but eventually forming some kind of harmony – especially with the arrival of the composer, initially reluctant to come, but fascinated, sometimes delighted, offering advice, even mediating in the disputes.

Because this is a movie, the audience expects that the concert will be a success but, on the evidence throughout the film, this is not a foregone conclusion.

So, a drama of the tensions between music makers – but a film for music lovers.

1. The Title, “.a string quartet?
2. The French settings, board meeting, the mansion in the country, the grounds, the interiors? The church and its interior and acoustics? The countryside, cars travelling?
3. The musical score, the range of classics? Stringed instruments? The special composition for performance?
4. The background, the wealthy and obsessive father, his intentions in having the Stradivarius instruments, his patronage of Charlie Beaumont as a composer, his relationship with the singer and her death? His favouring Astrid? Giving the business to Arthur? His wanting to bring everything together in a concert, televised, worldwide audience?
5. The expert, his examining the violin, approval? His being called in with the breaking of the violin, repairing it successfully?
6. The ambition, six days building up to the day of the performance?
7. Astrid, at the board meeting, making the plea for the Stradivarius, Arthur and his reaction, the board and the consent? The drama of the auction, the bidding, her success? The price?
8. The gathering of the musicians, meeting, interacting, getting their consent? The two violins, the viola, the cello? Their expertise?
9. The egos, the clash of personalities, George, vain, self-centred, his skills, interactions, Appoline, her followers, social media, the selfies, his anger, walking out, the composer bringing him back? The clash with Appoline and the breaking of the violin? Vanity about his appearance in the 70s? The walk in the woods, his falling, the injury, performing with his leg up? Audience sympathy or not?
10. Appoline, age, not going to music school, influencer, her followers, the selfies, in the bikini, a 21^st-century character, her musical skills in performance? Taunting George, the self-pity, the clash with him, the breaking of the violin, his special choice, sulking in her room, eventually emerging, feeling a victim to the professionalism of the of the three?
11. Lise, the cello, her career, performances, skills, thinking George narcissistic and commenting, the relationship with Peter, their past working together, the relationship, her sense of betrayal at his leaving?
12. Peter, his skills, personality, the relationship with Lise, memories of the past? And the fact that he was blind, people caring for him, guiding him?
13. Astrid, the effect of the week on her, impatience, with her brother, finance, the contracts internationally, dealing with the egos, travelling to meet the composer, his refusal, his arriving? Trying to manage, facilitate? Seemingly impossible? The church, the acoustics? The final success?
14. Arthur, business, the possibility of selling the four instruments and reclaiming the money? With his sister, clashes, agreement?
15. Louis, helping, in the background, carrying the violin when it broke?
16. Charlie Beaumont, his reputation, favoured by Astrid’s father, rather solitary, composing, Astrid’s visit, the refusal, changing his mind, the drive, hating the piece, 30 years previously, encountering the performance, commenting, criticism, suggestions, interacting with each of them? Driving to bring George back? His response to their working together, the popular song, transforming them all? The issue of the acoustics, the church, moving the stage?
17. The technicians, setting the church, the priest and his presence, the issue of finance, the percentage for charity? The lights, the stage, the sound issues, the demand to move the stage? But their enjoying the final performance?
18. The blend of the serious and comic? For music lovers? Especially those who love strings and quartets?