A Song for Martin
A Song for Martin êêê ½ Stars Rated PG-13.
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Reviewed by Shelley Cameron
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Scenes from a marriage
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Barbara: Viveka Seldahl
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Martin: Sven Wollter
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Director: Bille August
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A Song for Martin is that rarest of animals in the world of movies: an intelligent, sexy, warm, disturbing and very moving story of two people over the age of 50. Martin is a successful and celebrated symphony conductor and composer. Barbara is the first violin in the orchestra he is guest conducting. Both have adult children and both are unhappily married. It takes us almost as much by surprise as it does them when they are swept away by their unexpected romance.
After a whirlwind courtship, their marriage settles into easy contentment. They are loving partners, collaborators on Martin's new concerto and working on an opera. Happily ensconced in their lovely home by the sea, they enjoy happiness that had previously eluded them. Most of the members of their combined families come out for holiday dinners and summer picnics, now reconciled to the match and happy for Martin and Barbara. Life is good.
In fuzzy progression, just as in real life, Martin becomes forgetful and begins to exhibit signs of Alzheimer's disease. The lovely love story turns into a painful three-year ordeal as his condition deteriorates. The everyday moments of agony, mixed mercifully with some tiny victories, are masterfully revealed in one of the most moving portraits of human relationships ever chronicled. The film deals with a subject close to a vast audience of all ages. It is refreshing and gratifying to see it addressed in such a thoughtful and satisfying manner.
Director Bille August, (Pelle the Conqueror, House of the Spirits) wrote the screenplay based on a book by Ulla Isalsson. In her novel, Book About E, Isalsson describes her relationship with her husband, Eric. Both were writers and literary critics. August reworks them into musicians and the change works beautifully on screen. Barbara gets by with a little help from her friends and a lot of love from her beloved Martin. Ultimately this is a celebration of loving, life, and letting go.
A Danish-Swedish collaboration, this is one of the very best films to come along this year. The two principals, Sven Wollter (Martin) and Viveka Seldahl (Barbara) are award winning veteran actors and were married in real life. A Song for Martin was the first film in which they played husband and wife. Viveka died shortly after finishing this film. She was 58.