Chevalier

2023

PG-13

1h 44m

IMDb RATING

6.3/10

108

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12 Videos

60 Images

Music

Drama

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The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Joseph Bologne rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist-composer and fencer, complete with an ill-fated love affair and a falling out with Marie Antoinette and her court.

Directors

Stephen Williams

Writers

Stefani Robinson(writer by)

Stars

Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Samara Weaving

Lucy Boynton

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Videos12

Photos60

Top cast

Joseph

Marie-Josephine

Marie Antoinette

Philippe

La Guimard

Madame de Genlis

Christoph Gluck

Montalembert

Poncet

Nanon

La Arnould

George Bologne

Rosie

King Louis XVI

Alexander Picard

La Bossiere

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Directors

Stephen Williams

Writers

Stefani Robinson(writer by)

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Review

Featured review

6/10

I was really looking forward to this, and after it starts with some compelling duelling violins between the eponymous "Joseph" (Kelvin Harrison Jnr.) and none other than the great Mozart himself (Joseph Prowen) that features some magical musical improvisations, I thought I was in for a treat. Sadly, though, t'was not to be. Essentially this is a rather plodding melodrama that could quite easily have been at the more musical end of an episode of "Versailles". Born, illegitimately, to the owner of a plantation and one of his indentured slaves, "Joseph" shows a considerable talent that his father is keen to see developed. He relocates the boy from Guadeloupe to Paris where he must learn - on his own - to thrive. To be excellent. He does, he even befriends Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) and is to be considered for the job of musical director at the Opera de Paris. He has a competitor, though, and the Queen decides that a tournament is the order of the day. "Joseph" recruits the mellifluously talented marquise "Marie-Josephine" (the really quite sterile Samara Weaving) to sing in his new opera but her menacing marquis husband (Martin Csokas) is having none of that and pretty soon young "Joseph" is facing disgrace, humiliation and with losing his popularity at court. Gradually, now, he is drawn into the revolutionary world of his friend "Philippe" (Alex Fitzalan) with quite a denouement looming! The film looks great and when there is music, that is also rousing and distinguished. It's just the story and, for the most part, the acting. It's all just a bit weak. There's way too much dialogue and romantic shenanigans that we know are dangerous, reckless even, but they only manage to clog up the potency of this story of lust, bigotry, politics and power. I enjoyed it, but I suppose I expected - certainly wanted - something a little more like "Amadeus" (1984).

Geronimo196707 Jun, 2023