MAESTRO

US, 2023, 130 minutes, Black and white and Colour.

Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper, Sarah Silverman, Maya Hawke, Sam Nivola, Josh Hamilton, Matt Bomer, Miriam Shor.

Directed by Bradley Cooper.

A striking film, to say the least.

Leonard Bernstein was one of the great American musical figures of the 20^th century. He was a composer. He was a teacher, especially through television programs as well as in person. He was a conductor, vigorous in his interpretations and his effect on his orchestras. The general public probably knows him best as the composer of the music for West Side Story.

This film is a portrait, not a biography.

And it is the work of actor, Bradley Cooper, successful in his acting career but making his mark as a director in his version of A Star is Born, 2018, he taking the role of the musician on a downward spiral, featuring Lady Gaga as the rising star, and winning an Oscar for the song, Shallow.

And, he has been more acclaimed for Maestro. It is a very personal project, co-writing the screenplay, directing, playing Bernstein, careful attention to his manner and mannerisms, especially in some powerful conducting sequences, careful attention given to make up for his appearance and, especially, convincing ageing.

The portrait moves around in time. It opens with the older Burnstein playing the piano and revealed to be involved in television episode. It then makes a transition to when he is in his mid-20s, in a relationship with a musician, suddenly asked to take over the conducting of an orchestra when the impresario falls ill – and is so successful that he becomes famous. This portrait of Bernstein shows the musician, with a number of gay relationships over the decades.

However, Bernstein was also married for several decades and this portrait is also the story of his relationship with his wife, an actress from Chile, Jewish background, Felicia Montenegro Cohen. She is played by Carey Mulligan, an impressive performance, ageing over the decades, loving, supportive, disappointed, managing, a final terminal illness.

The film opens in black and white and, with the marriage, turns into bright colour.

Much of the music comes from Bernstein himself, the opening of West Side Story played at the beginning of a tense sequence, the chorus from Candide played during the final credits, other orchestral pieces.

While the film shows the relationship between Leonard and Felicia, her career, the wedding, the children, family life, friends and associates, the musical world, some musical fantasy based on the sailors in On the Town, classes, the children growing older, the daughter’s concern about rumours she has heard about her father and her mother dampening them down, there is also the tribute that Bradley Cooper makes to Bernstein as a conductor.

There are two fine sequences with Bernstein conducting, Beethoven, and then a six minute sequence of Bernstein conducting Mahler’s Resurrection in Ely Cathedral, doing justice to Mahler’s music but also Cooper and doing an extraordinary impersonation of how Bernstein conducted. (And this can checked with some actual footage of the conductor during the final credits.)

A tribute to Bernstein and a reminder that, on the one hand, someone can be a genius and, on the other, feet of clay.

1. Audience knowledge of Leonard Bernstein? Musician, composer, teacher, conductor? His compositions, television programs of instruction, On the Town, West Side Story, Wonderful Town, Candide?
2. The film as a portrait rather than a biography, a portrait rather than a music documentary? Audience expectations? The tone of the title – and of his car’s numberplate later in his life!
3. "A work of art does not answer questions, it provokes them; and its essential meaning is in the tension between the contradictory answers."
4. A Bradley Cooper film, conception of the film, co-writing, producing, directing, and his performance? Bernstein over the years, young, ageing? The effect of the make up? And the performance, resemblance to the real Bernstein, and the power of the conducting sequences?
5. The black-and-white and colour usage, black-and-white in the past, success in life, colour? The into cutting of the scenes, flashbacks? The opening, the older Burnstein playing the piano, being filmed, interviewed?
6. Bernstein’s reputation, his break as a conductor at age 25, musicals, collaboration with other composers like Aaron Copeland, with choreographers like Jerome Robbins, lyricist like Stephen Sondheim? Taking the place of celebrated conductor, Bruno Walter? Television connections, theatre connections?
7. The introduction to Bernstein, with David, his sexual orientation? Age 25, the phone call, taking Bruno Walter’s Place, success, acclaim? The succeeding years, compositions, the fantasy sequence of the sailors, Nancy Free, Felicia present, and On The Town, the attraction of the sole sailor dancing? The comedy with Adolph Green and Betty, Comden?
8. The meeting with Felicia, Carey Mulligan’s performance, background, South American, Jewish, her accent? Coming to the party, the friendship with Leonard’s sister, introduced to Leonard, his charm, comic touches?
9. The issue of Bernstein’s homosexuality and his marriage? The authentic gay relationships, often transient? The authenticity of his love for Felicia? As dramatised in the film, as performed by Bradley Cooper, a long-standing love, devotion, the children, his love for them?
10. Felicia, her career, auditions, understudy, friends, their praise of her, her getting her opportunity, Broadway, success? Her marriage, the effect, devotion to her children and family? And her knowledge of Leonard and his relationships?
11. The range of his career, mentions of West Side Story and its opening score used for a tense situation? The many television episodes of instruction? Conducting Beethoven? And the powerful seen in Ely Cathedral for Mahler’s Resurrection?
12. The passing of time, the children, birth, growing up? The years with Felicia? Her catching him in the corridor with a man, her being upset, the sequence of their fight? And Felicia relating the story to Leonard’s sister?
13. Their daughter growing up, the issue of the rumours about his orientation, her discussion with her mother, her mother not wanting it revealed, the daughter being satisfied? Yet, later, and her discussions with her father?
14. Phylicia, the cancer, the diagnosis, the discussions, Leonard and his concern, the children? Her decline, dying in his arms? The aftermath, the family grief, the father and children?
15. The later sequences, Bernstein in old age, the rehearsals available to the public, the young man conducting, Bernstein interrupting, techniques, sense of the music? The relationship with the young man indicating the continued affairs?
16. Bernstein, genius, creativity, energy and enthusiasm, relationships and love, feet of clay?