We follow the fortunes of a masterpiece violin and the people who possessed it.

Rating: 5/10 (21 May 2006)

I was mildly interested by this apparently very expensively produced artistic film, enchanted by the gymnastics of the violinists, and impressed by conviction with which the violin's first unfortunate owner, a very young child prodigy, played the instrument. But I thought the story line weak and the play loaded with dead scenes which might just as well have been left out as they vastly increased the run time and did little to advance the story. However, I was really intrigued by the number of production companies, actors, and locations, the latter not being at all simulated but moving from Italy to Vienna, to Oxford, to China, and finally landing in Montreal where apparently the major investors lived. I thought that perhaps Samuel L. Jackson might have been a major investor as he commands considerable sums for his acting service and seemed particularly unsuited for the part. Jackson is the very best ever in roles such as Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, but just didn't come through this time. All this being said, judging from the enthusiastic response of most who have written in this column, I seem to be a minority of one. And I did enjoy the picture withal. However, I still wonder whether the investors and production companies were as pleased with the box office returns as our writers are with this story. I would be vastly appreciative if someone could enlighten me about the financial aspect of this production.
Lew Warden lewwarden@pronet.net