PERFORMANCE/ A LATE QUARTET
US, 2012, 105 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Mark Ivanir, Imogen Poots, Nina Lee.
Directed by Yaron Zilberman.
Recently, there have been several films for older audiences, quality films like Amour, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and, with themes of music, Quartet and A Song for Marion. Three have been British, one American. Performance is the American film, originally called A Late Quartet, but changed because of the release of the British film, Quartet.
The setting is New York City. Four members of the Fugue string quartet have being played together for 25 years. The leader of the quartet, Peter (Christopher Walken), is diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. (Some interesting scenes with interview and exercise with his doctor as well as explanations of how to deal and to cope with Parkinson’s.) Peter’s wife has died a year earlier.
He takes the news with great dignity, continuing his classes, a key scene being a lesson where he explains to his young students how he had met Pablo Cassals when young and, nervously, played for him, ashamed that it was his worst performance. He tells the group that he was praised by Cassals for his playing, and thought him hypocritical, just being nice to him. He goes on to say that he met Cassals later in his life and asked the master whether he remembered his performances for him. Cassals mentioned how he noticed variations of fingering and holding his bow from the usual playing and complemented him on his originality. That was what he had seen and praised. It is a moving story, nicely told.
In fact, Walken gives one of his most sympathetic performances, playing his role straight, a good and decent man, with a great love of music who has devoted himself for many decades to performance, especially in tribute to Beethoven’s opus 131, the Fugue - and movements are played throughout the film, explanations given as to the nature of the composition, and the reason for its being played straight through, very difficult for the players as well as their instruments.
The other members of the main cast are exemplary in their performances. We have come to expect a great deal from Philip Seymour Hoffman, showing great versatility in many different roles. Here he plays second violin and has come to a crisis, wishing to alternate with the first violin, played by Ukrainian-born actor, Mark Ivanir. Robert ( Hoffman), is married to the other violinist in the quartet, Juliet, and they have a daughter, Alexandra, who also plays the violin, takes lessons from Peter as well as from Mark.
Part of the drama in the film is Alexandra’s resentment towards her mother for being absent as she grew up, and having to travel around the world. She is closer to her father. Alexandra resents the perfectionism demanded by Daniel (Ivanir), in his lessons. However, he breaks through his normal reserve and begins an affair with the responsive Alexandra. This, of course, creates a crisis for her parents, with strong scenes of interaction with both.
But playing Robert gives Philip Seymour Hoffman a great opportunity to show a seemingly submissive of man, finally breaking out, wanting to play first violin and, in a moment of exasperation, betraying his wife who cannot understand what he has done and rejects him. In very dramatic and moving scenes he tries to explain what has motivated him, trying to assert himself.
Beethoven’s music is really the background for the film rather than a subject in itself though it is given quite some treatment. The thrust of the film is the drama between the different members of the quartet as well as a portrait of a man who accepts oncoming Parkinson’s disease, trying to play for as long as he can, then withdrawing in great dignity. Real-life cello player, Nina Lee plays herself, coming as the new cello player in the quartet.
While three of the characters are around the age of 50, Walken’s character is 70. Which means that there is a great appeal in the drama and the music for middle aged and older audiences.
1. The title? Music? Drama?
2. New York City, the music world, the world of studies, performance, homes, apartments? Exteriors? The jogging sequences? Real?
3. Beethoven and opus 131, the explanation given, the nature of performance, intercutting the music with the action? The demands, strings? The opus as an analogy for the action? No stopping, the tiring playing, instruments becoming out of tune, the need to work together?
4. The Fugue Quartet? The history of the quartet, Mark’s vision? Peter as leader and manager, Juliette and Robert sharing performance? Travel for 25 years, the many performances, the nature of a career in performance, musicians’ lives, practice?
5. The introduction to the players, coming onstage, playing? Peter and his difficulties in fingering? His visits to the doctor, the exercises, diagnosis? His acceptance? Treatment, medication, the Parkinson's disease group and sharing? His perseverance while accepting? The illness as a crisis point for each member of the quartet?
6. Peter, Christopher Walken's performance, his character, his relationship with his wife, her appearance in his imagination, singing? The long marriage? His interactions with each of the group? His puzzle about what was happening?
7. His work as a teacher, the enthusiasm of his students? His telling them the story of playing for Pablo Cassals, the musicians praise, his own estimates of his performance, meeting Cassals later and the reason for his praise, the good notes and the bowing?
8. Mark, migrant, his musical skills, playing first violin? The past, establishing the quartet, his wanting to work with a group, the pleasure of working as a team? A perfectionist? Having his notes, annotations? His relationship with Juliet in the past? Alexandra and her lessons, her criticism of him, the future and Peter's illness? The affair with Alexandra? Her taunting him and the effect? The rediscovery of his emotions? Robert finding out, punching him? Juliet and her being upset? Alexandra and her breaking off the relationship?
9. Juliette and Robert, their life together, the video of interviews with the members of the quartet and their watching it? Love, the long marriage, fidelity, Alexandra and her birth? Their life, careers? Alexandra and her complaints about her mother being distant, the travel? Alexandra and her closeness to her father, the plan to buy the violin, the auction sequence, the bids, Juliette walking out? The tensions? Juliette cold but concerned? Robert and his life, playing second violin not being enough?
10. Robert and his jogging, the encounter with the flamenco dancer, their talking, his going to see her performing, the tension with Juliette and his going to the dancer’s house, leaving his bag, his lies covering it, going to meet the dancer to recover the bag, Juliette’s arrival? His regrets, apologies, his being ousted from the house, having to fend for himself? Arguing with Mark, about first violin, his being humiliated? The issue of whether he had real or unreal expectations of his talent?
11. Juliette and her being upset about Peter, not wanting to go on, her anger with Robert, her anger with Mark, going to Alexandra’s apartment, discovering
the truth, the argument with her daughter?
12. Alexandra, her life’s experience, age, precocious, her playing the violin, her appreciating Peter’s classes? The audition for Mark, his criticisms of her? Going to his classes? Her criticisms of him? Mark giving her the violin from the auction? Her reaction to her mother, her mother discovering the truth, her assertion of independence? The decision to break off the affair with Mark?
13. Peter, his discussion with Gideon, the director of the trio, the request for Nina to take his place, the refusal? The final concert, Peter withdrawing, Nina taking his place –and Gideon in the audience?
14. The final performance, coming onstage, playing opus 31? Peter stopping, the explanation, the audience response, retiring with dignity?
15. A film of music, of performances? Of drama, life’s problems and consequences?
