THE MAGIC BOW
UK, 1946, 106 minutes, Black and white.
Stewart Granger, Jean Kent, Phyllis Calvert, Dennis Price, Cecil Parker, Felix Aylmer, Frank Cellier, Marie Lohr.
Directed by Bernard Knowles.
The Magic Bow is one of the many Gainsborough period features of the mid-40s. The stars, Stewart Granger, James Mason, Phyllis Calvert, Margaret Lockwood, Patricia Roc, alternated their roles in these various melodramas, including The Man in Grey, Fanny By Gaslight.
This is a popular version of the life and career of Nicolo Paganini. Stewart Granger is suave and moody as the violinist. The violin is played by Yehudi Menuhin. Phyllis Calvert is charming as Jeanne. The supporting cast includes Cecil Parker as the lawyer who befriends Paganini and Jean Kent as a rival for his love.
The film re-creates 19th century Italy with sumptuous style in black and white photography. However, the film is merely an outline of Paganini's life, Reader's Digest style. In its melodrama, it has the touch of the exaggerated and humorous rather than the serious drama.
However, it is entertaining in its way, has a competent cast - and, of course, boasts Yehudi Menuhin playing Paganini, Mozart and Beethoven.
1. An enjoyable biography? Period film? The slight plot? the score?
2. The strength of the black and white photography, sets and decor, costumes? The importance of the score: Paganini, Mozart, Beethoven? Yehudi Menuhin's skill?
3. Audience response to Paganini: his situation, skills, compositions, reputation? An introduction to Paganini? Stewart Granger's characterisation?
4. Paganini in his family, poverty, his parents? In Genoa and his feelings stifled? Relationship with Bianchi? Jeanne and her employing him for her father's escape? Playing his variations? The derision to go to Palma? His playing and the encounter with Germi? The contest for the Stradivarius violin, his playing the composition? The concert and his reaction to Palma's society, walking out? Boarding, the landlady? Gambling and the pawning of his violin? Jeanne and her getting it back? Germi's support? In love with Jeanne? The occupation of the city by Napoleon's troops, the encounter with Paul? Loss of Jeanne, his fear of his own abilities? The invitation to the Vatican? Jeanne’s response, his success?
5. Jeanne and her hiring of Paganini, attracted to him, the concert, her parents, the planned marriage, her devotion to Paul, separation from Paganini, the concert, getting back his violin? Her declaration to Paul, love for Paganini?
6. Bianchi, her watching Paganini, in love with him, ignored by him, her singing at the concert, following him to Palma?
7. Germi and his eccentricities, the lawyer, not having any money, boarding with Paganini, devices for the landlady, for the concert, getting the violin back?
8. The 19th century world, poverty, society, Napoleon and the ward, imprisonment, the Vatican and the papal concert?
9. The music of Paganini? In his time? In later centuries?
