University of Virginia Library

CINEMA

"Music Lovers" And Friends

By PAUL CHAPLIN

Ken Russell's "Women in Love"
was one of the outstanding films of
last year, and established him as
one of the most talented and
creative men working in film today.
"The Music Lovers" comes into
town many months after its initial

release, and also after the release of
his third film "The Devils," which
has gotten the axe from most
critics, and has now canned Russell
the distinction of being one of the
most controversial directors of the
day. While "The Music Lovers" has
all the flair that made "Women In
Love" the remarkable film that it
was, there are elements in this film
which clearly foreshadow the
theme of "The Devils," and soon
we'll be able to judge if Russell
breaks any new ground in his
visuals and style. But more on that
in a couple of weeks.

The life of Tchaikovsky, as
recorded in "Beloved Friend" by
Catherine Drinker Bowen and
Barbara Von Meck, serves as the
story for Russell's film. Actually a
more apt description of the film
occurs in the credits: "Ken
Russell's film of Tchaikovsky and
the Music Lovers." Composer
Tchaikovsky had quite a few lovers.
There was his sister Sarah, his
mother, his wife Nina, his patron
Madame Von Meck, and Count
Anton Chiluvsky.

Fortunately Russell and
scriptwriter Melvyn Bragg don't
exploit the later named lover in
Tchaikovsky's life and let it carry
them away into shockingly vulgar
film. By this I mean the film won't
shock anybody in its treatment of
homosexuality, and isn't handled
tastelessly as in a film like "The
Gray Deceivers." Of course your
definition of vulgar may be
different than mine, so I have no
idea if a drunk nude wife trying
to seduce her husband will offend
or not.

Actually the above should
repulse you, for Russell's treatment
makes it very clear that
Tchaikovsky can not stand his sex
craved wife and any chance of him
consummating his marriage is ruined
in one night. Russell's treatment of
Nina's attempts at seduction is
handled very well, making
heterosexual activities look base
and disgusting, a striking contrast
to the passion and animal fury of
the lovers in "Women In Love."
Russell and his photography
director Douglas Slocombe have
numerous scenes of striking beauty
such as Sasha and Tchaikovsky
walking in a grove of birches, a
stunning fireworks display, and the
opening sequence of a carnival. My
only complaint is that Russell gets
carried away with his hand held
camera work, spinning it around
with the characters, rocking it with
the swaying of the insane Nina. In
the train seduction, the hand held
treatment works and is effective,
but during the First Piano
Concerto, it detracts rather than
adds to the fury of Tchaikovsky's
playing.

Russell could have relied on his
actors more than he does. They are
certainly skilled enough that their
performances don't need his
directorial enhancing throughout
the entire film. Richard
Chamberlain is well cast as the
composer, providing for anyone
who stills doubts it, that he is one
of America's up and coming serious
dramatic actors. Glenda Jackson is
exciting as Nina, who is actually a
combination of Charlotte Corday in
"Marat/Sade," and Ursula in
"Women In Love." She could wind
up being type cast for life as a
sexually starved and depraved
woman. Izabella Teleznska is quite
satisfactory as Madame Von Meck,
but Christopher Gable's
interpretation of Count Anton slips
into a lisp just a few times too
often, almost making his character
a caricature.

How much of the film is
historically correct, I cannot say, so
we'll have to trust the director and
scriptwriter for not squeezing too
much out of Tchaikovsky's life. Be
that as it may, "The Music Lovers"
is stunningly directed and is an
entertaining film. I can only
wonder what Russell will try to pull
off in "The Devils." Whatever it is,
it certainly won't be dull.

(Now at the Cinema)