Serial Number: 21037
Title: Maestro (2023)
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Country of Origin: US
Genre: Private Gallery - The MM20's
Subject: Biography
Size: 1 SHEET 27x40
Condition: EX/NM
Card Number: N/A
Price: $NOT FOR SALE
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| Actors/Actresses: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Sarah Silverman |
| Notes: Director: Bradley Cooper; A biographical film about Leonard Bernstein, a conductor of international acclaim, pianist, and composer whose foray into movies includes the original score for On the Waterfront, and West Side Story. In addition to glimpses into his active social life, family dynamics, and musical career, the film focuses on his relationship with his wife Felicia with whom he had a long, warm, and close relationship. The latter did present some challenge since Burnstein did have intermittent relationships with men. Although it is common knowledge that Bernstein was Jewish, this fact is subtly alluded to in the film by means of casual references. Like early on in the movie, while at a party, his future wife is being introduced as Felicia Montealegre, when she quickly corrects it with Felicia Montealegre Cohn, her paternal grandfather being Jewish. Bernstein tells her that as a youth he rebelled against his father, an Eastern European Jew, who feared that Leonard will end up a “klezmer”, performing for “kopeks” in a street corner. When a young Jewish immigrant conductor suggests he change his name to Burns, because to Bernstein they will never give an orchestra, he later replies “I had decided to make it as Leonard Bernstein or not at all”. There is also a scene in which Bernstein wears a sweater of his alma matter, Harvard, with the university’s name written in Hebrew. Finally, there’s the issue with Bradley Coopers’ prosthetic nose. He decided to wear one in order to better resemble Bernstein, and I think he succeeded. Many tried to make an issue of it suggesting that it wasn’t necessary, it was too large, it’s offensive to Jews, and even starting a debate of whether gentiles should portray Jews in film in the first place. His children, on the other end, saw no problem with the “nose” whatsoever. Sarah Silverman as Leonard’s sister gave a spot-on performance with an East Coast Jewish feel to it. The movie ends with the sounds of the Maestro’s Symphony No. 3, the Kaddish. The movie garnered seven Academy Awards nominations. For Bradley Cooper this was clearly a labor of love. In addition to starring in it, he also co-wrote the script, directed the film, and was on an impressive list of producers that included other than himself, also Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. |
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