FARINELLI -- Gérard Corbiau

©1994
studio: Sony Pictures
production company: Canal+
dir: Gérard Corbiau
cast: Stefano Dionisi, Enrico Lo Verso, Elsa Zylberstein, Jeroen Krabbe, Caroline Cellier, Renaud du Peloux de Saint Romain, Omero Antonutti, Marianne Basler
screeplay: Marcel Beaulieu and Andrée Corbiau
subtitled

Farinelli, is the artistic name of Carlo Broschi, a young singer in Handel's time. He was castrated in his childhood in order to preserve his voice. During his life he becomes a very famous opera singer, managed by his mediocre [aspiring composer] brother (Riccardo). [from imdb.com]

*****

I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this movie too much, but found myself rewinding more than once to make sure I had picked up on what was happening ... I was very engrossed in this.

I did feel that the lip-synching was not particularly great, and it seemed more than obvious that it really was a woman's voice that was being used, rather than a true castrati, but that aside, the performances were quite top-notch.

The relationship between the brothers was wonderfully played. What kept them together? Did Riccardo know that he was mediocre? There was never a sense that Riccardo was using his brother (except for sexual conquests), and one wonders what Carlo could have achieved without Riccardo attached. Yet, would Carlo even have gotten as far without Riccardo?

Throwing in the relationship with Handel was fascinating. The love/hate professional relationship was intriguing.

If you don't mind foreign films (and the need for reading subtitles [and I don't]), then this is really a film worth watching.