La Leggenda Del Pianista Sull'Oceano (SE) (2 Dvd)

The only one to come close to the way 1900's mind works is his friend and colleague Max, an accomplished trumpet player in the ship's band. As Max puts it: "You're never really done for as long as you got a good story and someone to tell it to". And boy does he tell a beautiful story. A story that will keep you mesmerized all through the film. There are scenes that will definitely put a smile on your face. For instance the scene when 1900 tries to cure Max from his seasickness by offering him a ride on his piano! And what about the piano duel? Watch this movie and find out for yourself. A heart-warming, touching movie with a touch of magic. Highly recommended.

Tim Roth is superbly cast as 1900, his fake piano-playing is very convincing! More could have been made, I believe, about 1900's early years and how he came to be able to play the piano (we first see him playing clandestinely in the Virginian's First Class dance hall, with the crew and captain gather around, completely astonished). The film does not explain where he learnt music (was it from continually hearing it on the radio, or did he find a sheaf of old piano music one day and just decide to try it out himself, or did he spend hours watching and listening to the liner's resident pianist playing?).

The duel between 1900 and Jelly Roll Morton (excellently portrayed by the scary Clarence Williams III) will make you uneasy, as you don't quite know how it will turn out, but you'll be squirming in your seat rooting for 1900. The outcome, of course, is, shall we say ... red-hot?!

The film ends not the way I would have expected ... I kept hoping and hoping, but no last-minute miracles here, unfortunately. Still, it's a life-affirming tale told with reverence, and it's a shame it's so under-rated. It did win a Golden Globe award, I believe. I wouldn't have watched it if I hadn't caught the word "Pianista" on the cover in my (local) Spanish videoshop : "La Leyenda de Pianista en el Oceano"!! How's that for an even weirder title!!

A definite one for the collection, if you, like me, are a Music or Jazz afficionado. There's plenty of Jazz in the film, all right - enough to make your fingers twitch and your feet dance! The 1900-1945 era is captured accurately, giving the viewer a definite sense of being there at that exact time.

There's comedy, tragedy, true friendship, rich vs poor, shades of the movie Titanic in the huge sets, and yes there's even love ... but above all, there's Music.