Eroica (1949 film)

Infobox Film
name = Eroica


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director = Walter Kolm-Veltée
producer = Guido Bagier
Walter Kolm-Veltée
writer = Walter Kolm-Veltée
Franz Tassié
narrator =
starring =
music = Alois Melichar
Ludwig van Beethoven
cinematography = Günther Anders
Hannes Staudinger
editing =
distributor =
released =
runtime = 95
country = Austria
language = German
budget =
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imdb_id = 0041335

Eroica ist an Austrian 1949 film depicting composer Ludwig van Beethoven's life and work.

Plot

An express messenger rides to Vienna and reports at a ball given by Count Lichnowsky that Napoleon Bonaparte is approaching Vienna with his troups. The news spread like wildfire in the city and also reach Beethoven, who, together with his friends, is sitting in the tavern. Beethoven is very enthusiastic about the ideals embodied by Napoleon after the French Revolution. He hurries home to write a powerfull and glorious symphony - which later becomes famous as Beethoven's "Eroica" - for Napoleon. After the symphony is successfull, two messengers from Napoleon come to see Beethoven. They request Beethoven to participate in a reception given by the French emperor. Favouring the glamour, Napoleon has elaborated detailed clothing instructions for Beethoven. Beethoven is disappointed by his idol's superficiality and deletes the dedication to Napoleon from the title page of the symphony.

For his safety, Beethoven travels to Hungary and find a housing at his pupil Therese van Brunswik and her cousin Giulietta Guicciardi. Beethoven falls in love with Giulietta, who is even willing to leave her fiancé for Beethoven. Therese thinks that, due to his talent, it is not Beethoven's destiny to lead a fulfilling relationship with a woman.

Beethoven not only worries about his nephew Karl whom he thinks to lead a dissolute life and being under his mother's harmful influence but also gets aware of a worsening of his hearing abilities. As Beethoven despairs of why God wants deprive him off his hearing, Beethoven's friend Amenda replies that Beethoven so is to hear a music never heard by any human before. It is saddening for Beethoven to learn during rehearsals for his opera "Fidelio" that the musicians don't follow him conducting them but, in fact, their director of music. In a depressed mood, Beethoven goes home and once more despairs with God, as Amendas words come to his mind. When Therese comes to look after him, he can calm her down that he has come to terms with his destiny and now devotes to composing again.

Cast

*Ewald Balser — Ludwig van Beethoven
*Marianne Schönauer — Therese van Brunswick
*Judith Holzmeister — Giuliettia Guicciardi
*Oskar Werner — Karl, Beethoven's nephew
*Dagny Servaes — Karl's mother
*Iván Petrovich — Count Lichnowsky
*Ludmilla Hell — Countess Lichnovsky
*Auguste Pünkösdy — House keeper
*Hans Kraßnitzer — Amenda
*Alfred Neugebauer — Organist Albrechtsberger
*Richard Eybner — Schuppanzigh
*Karl Günther — Country doctor
*Gustav Waldau — Country parson
*Erik Frey — French Officer
*Franz Pfaudler — Theatre Director
*Julius Brandt — Painter
*Hans Hais — French Officer
*Helmut Janatsch — Austrian Cavalryman
*Karl Kalwoda — Caretaker