Camden New Joiurnal - Cinema: Copying Beethoven

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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with WILLIAM HALL
Published: 16 August 2007

Ed Harris gives a powerful performance as Ludwig van Beethoven, despite some challenging lines

Star Harris keeps his composer as the great Ludwig

COPYING BEETHOVEN
Directed by Agnieszka Holland
Certificate 12a

ONE of Hollywood’s most powerful yet curiously low-profile actors, Ed Harris comes into his own as Ludwig van Beethoven in this fetching and unusual romantic drama.
The formidable composer hires Anna, a headstrong music student (sparkling-eyed Diane Kruger), to help him finish copying the Ninth Symphony.
She even has the effrontery to correct him on their initial meeting, thus endearing herself to the great man who against his will becomes captivated by her.
We’re in 1824 Vienna – actually the movie was shot in Hungary – and the atmosphere is redolent of the period.
With his grey hair flowing and nostrils flaring, Harris submerges himself into the maestro with awesome zeal.
“God whispers into some men’s ears,” he declaims, as the big night approaches for the premiere. “He shouts into mine!”
All right, we know he’s deaf, but he gets away with a line that might have aroused mirth in lesser actors.
The performance itself in the packed auditorium, of course, is the high spot – and if Harris up there on the podium doesn’t send shivers down your spine, nothing will.

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