The Devil's Violinist

Over the years there have been a number of films made about the near legendary violinist Niccolò Paganini. It would be nice to say that this latest one is the definite one about the great fiddler but that would be far from the truth – in many respects this film is almost absurd.

To start with, German-born David Garrett – a real-life classical/crossover violinist with considerable talent and success – may well steal the show whenever he plays his instrument but he can’t act to save his life! Add to that his ‘modern’ rock star looks would appear to belong much more to the 21st century than the early part of the 19th! Or are we really to believe that the great womanizing virtuoso had groupies throwing themselves at him after every performance.
Perhaps director Rose was of the opinion that such is Garrett’s genius as a violinist that it far outweighs the relatively minor problem that the man is certainly a gifted musician but an actor? However, it is precisely because of this that we cannot connect with Garrett’s depiction of Paganini at all – except perhaps to dribble at his pizzicato. That said, Garrett has been praised by the likes of Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern and Ida Haendel no less – so he has to be some kind of violinist, and rest assured he is! This is a man who recorded Paginini’s ‘24 Caprices’ when he was 17! These days we are going as far as ‘Garrett vs. Paganini’.

Despite extensive use of blue-screen the film still looks good! Director Rose wrote and photographed this as well, and the darling of the violin put some of the money up along with actress Veronica Ferres, who plays the part of ‘Elizabeth Wells’.
Paganini’s story is relatively well known, he died of syphilis shortly before his 58th birthday. Rose’s film documents his rise and fall and dwells mainly on his London tour in 1831 which had been arranged by his mysterious and devilish manager ‘Urbani’ (Jared Harris). After Paganini’s attempt at seduction a true romance blossoms with Charlotte (Andrea Deck), the young daughter of impoverished conductor John Watson (Christian McKay) who eagerly awaits the arrival of the maestro. As it so happens, young Charlotte has an astonishingly good voice which can only enhance the romance.

A number of characters on show here are on the whole a bunch of absurd and over-characterised grotesques, in particular conductor Watson whose accent is nothing more than a parody of a Cockney trying to sound posh. Joely Richardson is even more ridiculous as a cross-dressed, cigar-smoking TIMES journalist who comes over the more like the lesbian proprietor of a brothel. Acting plaudits must go to Jared Harris for the portrayal of sinister manager Urbani despite his curious Continental accent, and to Andrea Deck for her no-nonsense Charlotte. A joke that backfired!