Turfseer 'Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky' is worthwhile for some sumptuous visuals and great Stravinsky music, as well as some excellent additional music by Gabriel Yared. The film begins quite nicely with a depiction of the original Paris performance of Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring' in 1913. That performance of course was considered scandalous at the time, not only for the iconoclastic rhythms introduced by Stravinsky but also for Diaghilev's frenzied choreography. At the performance is Coco Chanel, the famed designer, who admires the piece despite the derision from most of the clueless 'bourgeoisie' in the audience.Flash forward seven years and Stravinsky, his wife and children, have fallen on hard times. In steps Chanel who offers to put them up at her estate in the suburbs of Paris. At first Stravinsky declines but changes his mind after he realizes that the fresh suburban air would be good for his wife, who suffers from what appears to be pneumonia.The rest of the Coco and Igor narrative is rather predictable. Coco, the free spirit that she is, seduces Stravinsky, and makes love to him frequently, as the rest of the family enjoys the good meals and gifts, the designer magnate bestows upon them. Eventually (wouldn't you guess), Stravinsky's wife falls into despair as she becomes quite aware that Igor has strayed into the arms of Ms. Chanel. Historically, this all plays out for approximately nine months until May of 1921, when the wife and children left (and Stravinsky soon followed).There are some rather perfunctory sex scenes between Chanel and Igor with the great composer uttering the best line to Chanel that she's not an artist but rather a "shopkeeper." This is probably the worst thing you could say to someone like Chanel, who suddenly loses all interest in Stravinsky and gives up on him as a lover. Nonetheless, Chanel remained generous toward Stravinsky, bankrolling a new production of the 'Rite of Spring' and remaining friends with him, in the years to come.The implication here is that somehow Coco Chanel was a muse for Stravinsky which is not borne out by any evidence. The entire narrative is based on a fictional book entitled 'Coco and Igor', inspired by Coco Chanel's claims that she had an affair with Stravinsky. This was disputed by Stravinsky's second wife as well as his long-term assistant.Chris Greenhaigh, who wrote both the screenplay and the novel it was based on, also throws in an irrelevant sub-plot about how Chanel goes about coming up with her famous fragrance, 'Chanel No. 5'. It's a pointless aside due to the lack of conflict (Chanel has meetings with her chemist, sniffs various experimental fragrances, and finally decides on her final pick). Voila!What's much more interesting about Chanel is completely left out in this film. That of course is that she had a long relationship with an anti-Semitic British aristocrat, was probably (more often than not), a Nazi sympathizer during the war, may have been a Nazi spy and aided a Nazi war criminal after the war.'Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky' details a footnote in the career of a great composer. We're asked to get excited about this imagined relationship and I'm not sure why. I get the idea that Chanel and Stravinsky were sexually attracted to one another. And that's about all I get from Greenhaigh's speculations. Anna Mouglalis is quite good as Chanel but Mads Mikkelsen (the Danish actor who was cast perfectly as a man falsely accused as a pedophile in 'The Hunt'), seems much too stiff as Stravinsky (the great composer was known to be quite a social, genial soul).I would recommend 'Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky' mainly for the look and feel of the visual and musical aspects of the production. But I remain unconvinced there's enough drama here to sustain one's interest for a full 119 minutes.

Syl The actress who played Coco Chanel in this film is much different than the Coco Chanel film. Of course, all actresses including Anna Mag here offer something to the complex legend and fashion pioneering icon Coco Chanel. By 1913, she's successful and independent. By 1920, she's alone and lonely after the loss of Boyd Capel which I wished that they explained better in the film. He died in a car accident on his way back to her. They had a torrid love affair. Anyway, Coco is enchanted by Igor Stravinsky, a Russian musical genius, who is living in a hotel with his wife and family after the Russian revolution. She sees a kindred spirit in him as an artist herself. Her Coco is lot less affectionate than one might imagine. She's as much a mystery as Igor is to us. Both are artistic geniuses with hers in fashion and his in music. She offers her country home to help Igor and his family back on his feet. At first, she had noble intentions of helping another artist but the two get swept up in the affair. Maybe Igor feels obligated towards Coco. This film may have been more realistic. Igor is played Mik Mikaalsen. Both actor and actress who play the title roles are unfamiliar to me. I enjoyed watching the making of it to understand it. It's a dark film at times maybe too realistic as well.

emuir-1 From the exquisite kaleidoscope at the beginning to the sets and costumes, this film is a feast for the eyes, especially with the recreation of the notorious opening of "Le Sacre de Pintemps". the affair probably did not happen, she said it did, he said it didn't, but Chanel needed to whiten her image after living with a Nazi officer in Paris throughout WW2.The film makes an interesting companion piece to a videotape I made in 1990 of a TV program of the search for Nijinksy's Rites of Spring. The ballet was recreated by the Joffrey Ballet from the music, photographs, set and costume design by Nicholas Roerich, annotated score of Marie Rambert one of the dancers, and the recollections of Mme. Rambert. The result is a insight into the influence of the Ballet Russe on the American Ballet Theater and later Broadway musicals. This program is now available on DVD and shows the two act ballet along with interviews of the people involved in the recreation.

druid333-2 The scene is Paris on the 29th of May,in 1913. Although World War 1 would not envelope Europe for another year,or so, another battlefield would take place. The Paris premiere of Igor Stravinsky's 'The Rite Of Spring' would open to an outraged Parisian audience (tipping off a small scale riot,causing the police to break things up). In the audience, fashion designer,Coco Chanel was in attendance (trying to move on,since the death of her lover,Arthur 'Boy' Capel),utterly captivated that a piece of work could evoke such a reaction. Flash forward seven years later. Coco Chanel is now a widely respected business woman with a line of clothes (and hats),while Igor Stravinsky is living penniless as an exile with his family,living in what ever hotel that would take them. Coco Chanel suggests that they move in her chalet. With family in tow,Igor Stravinsky moves in Chanel's opulent palace,where he & Coco eventually have an affair that is mainly a lot of sweaty, joyless sex (Stravinsky rarely displays any kind of joy,even while he is composing music,as does Chanel---perhaps both their passions are held within themselves). This begins to have an impact on Stravinsky's wife & family (Kayta Stravinskaya is almost always depicted as sickly),and his sons begin to suspect that dad is up to no good. All of this makes for a film that is breath taking to look at,as well as to listen to (some of Stravinsky's music graces the soundtrack,including the original 1913 arrangement of his now celebrated 'Rite',as well as the 1947 revised version,as well as snippets of some of Stravinsky's other music). Dutch born director,Jan Kounen ('Darshan:The Embrace','Renegade')directs from a screenplay written by Chris Greenhaulgh,adapted from his own novel of the same name. The film's striking cinematography is by David Ungaro,with editing by Anny Danck. The cast includes Anna Mouglais as Coco Chanel. Denmark's own Mads Mikkelsen as Igor Stravinsky,Yelena Morozova as Katya, and Grigori Manukov as Sergei Diaglev. With Clara Guelblum,Maxime Danielou,Sophie Hasson,Nikita Ponomarenko,and far too many more to mention here. I especially admired the creative use of expressionism to convey visual metaphors (Coco's abode is a wash of bold,striking washes of black & white in every room,while Mrs.Stravinsky favoured a more colourful motif,as exemplified by her use of red,gold,etc.) A film that is well worth seeking out,if you've always admired the creative and/or performing arts. Spoken in French & Russian with English subtitles,and a wee bit of English. Rated 'R' by the MPAA for some strong sexual content & nudity.