Chevalier

Chevalier

The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, 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. Inspired by the incredible true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges.

  • Released: 2023-04-06
  • Runtime: 107 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, History
  • Stars: Lucy Boynton, Samara Weaving, Alec Newman, Jessica Boone, Alex Fitzalan, Jim High, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ben Bradshaw, Martin Matejcik, Sian Clifford, Minnie Driver, Marton Csokas, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, Sam Barlien, Fatou Sohna
  • Director: Stephen Williams
 Comments
  • lhagge-86907 - 29 November 2023
    Entertaining, but not one bit factual
    The writers and producers of this film had an awesome chance to tell the actual story of this composer. They didn't. Almost everything in the film is made up. One egregious thing is that they did not highlight his music. Most of the music you hear was written for the movie. Another egregious thing is that Bologne was in fact very privileged and had every advantage as far as education and advancement, much more than many other musicians and composers, yet the makers of the film want you to believe he was subject to a horrendous amount of prejudice and abuse. For every racist thing he suffered, there were a dozen things he was just given as someone who was a huge influencer in his day. But the most egregious thing of all is to suggest that as a composer he was the equal of or greater than Mozart. This idea would make anyone with any knowledge of music laugh. Bologne was in fact a pleasant but very mediocre composer. You need only get on Spotify or Apple music and listen to his actual compositions (not what you hear in the movie), and then listen to Mozart, who was one of the very best composers who ever lived. Mozart was NOT a privileged person from a wealthy family. He had the advantage of being the son of a composer, but other than that had no privilege other than that of genius. This difference between the two composers has NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE OR SOCIETY. It is not that one was "white" and therefore we think he's a genius. He just was, and every other composer knows this, as well as anyone who is educated about music. There have been many great Black composers, artists, writers, inventors, etc. In this world. Bologne was not one of them.
  • henry8-3 - 2 August 2023
    Chevalier
    True story of Joseph Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr) brought from the Caribbean as a child, he grows to become a virtuoso violinist and composer, favoured by queen Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton). However his dark skin works against him at a time when the Queen is not in favour with the public and revolution is in the air.

    Quite extraordinary music brings to our attention the vast, unknown talents of Bologne and his struggle to be recognised at a time when anyone with dark skin was unable to sit at 'high table'. Harrison Jr is fine, although his character here is not one to necessarily draw our sympathies and the drama that unfolds doesn't quite have the cutting edge it might have done. Worth seeing for the costumes and to at least recognise his unknown talent and to see the wonderful opening sequence where he has a violin battle with Mozart. It is though less than the sum of its parts.
  • thejdrage - 28 June 2023
    I want MORE about Chevalier!!
    I looked forward to seeing this VERY MUCH, but when it was over ........ I wondered exactly what I had seen - story-wise. It felt empty.

    Seems that I don't know much more about Joseph Bologne (Chevalier) than I did prior to watching this. And I feel cheated - because here is an historical character that has to have one hella story! And not just what I saw in a couple of hours however beautifully shot it was. :(

    You had bad guy (he's ALWAYS the bad guy) Marton Csokas as Marquis De Montalembert. Say that fast three times and you have your 600 characters. I like Marton Csokas, but it seems to me that he tries to be Ray Stevenson who played Titus Pullo in Rome - someone we loved. He's the same bad guy all the time, just in different clothing. Literally.

    Minnie Driver was BRILLIANT as the bad guy female. What a treat!

    But this wasn't about Minnie Driver.

    And I still do NOT know what Chevalier was really all about.

    I felt cheated. There was so much more to this man and his story - and this movie didn't give me even a hint of it!!

    Am in hopes someone makes a mini-series about him! Two hours is not long enough!