Copying Beethoven

Agnieszka Holland's film about Beethoven's last days includes lots of the composer's music—including excerpts from string quartets (including the Grosse Fuge) and piano sonatas, as well as a substantial chunk from the Ninth Symphony, the premiere of which Ludwig is preparing as the film begins. In order to explore Beethoven's eccentric personality and the frustration of his deafness, while also capturing his late-life musical radicalism in the face of public doubt and social ostracism, Copying Beethoven provides the musical genius with a fictional female copyist who's supposed to serve as the conduit through which we see all of the man's greatness, childishness, and poignancy. Unfortunately, Beethoven remains a rather limited, one-note figure here, especially as played by Ed Harris, who doesn't bring much more to the role than a generalized smoldering quality. And the copyist played by Diane Kruger is anachronistically feminist and frankly rather dull. Visually handsome and full of beautiful music, this is a sadly conventional portrait that fails to do justice to a man who took music in an exciting new direction. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Agnieszka Holland and star Ed Harris, the 10-minute “Orchestrating Copying Beethoven” behind-the-scenes featurette, and five deleted scenes with optional commentary (8 min.). Bottom line: a solid extras package for an uneven film.] (F. Swietek)