High Fidelity

Independent filmmaker Allan Miller's slice of life portrait of the famed Guarneri String Quartet is a delightful look at the "adventures" of the "oldest" original string quartet in America. Mixing interview footage with clips of the group in performance, Miller works toward understanding the incredible psychological underpinnings that have held these four superb musicians together for a quarter of a century. During rehearsals, the personalities of each of the quartet's members is distinct (sometimes vociferously so), yet when these guys wrap themselves around a Beethoven piece, all of their differences fade away in a gloriously concerted melding of sound. By film's end, we have come to know both the men and their music, and we wonder if violinist Arnold Steinhardt will ever convince his fellow players to perform the Kreisler quartet, or if violist Michael Tree will get another chance to play the fiddle. From the award-winning team that made From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China, this low-priced documentary feature is highly recommended. (R. Pitman)