Watching all 7 hours and 46 minutes of Richard Burton's magnificent portrayal of the composer Richard Wagner is about like watching a Wagner opera itself. It's very good, but it's also exhausting.
This was Richard Burton's last role. Although the veteran actor was only in his mid fifties, most likely because of his hard drinking, he looks much older. This creates the only problem I have with this film. The movie opens with Wagner as Kappelmeister in Dresden when Wagner was about age 34. Playing the 34 year old Wagner, the 55 year old Burton looks like he's about 70.
The real Cosima and Richard Wagner with son Siegfried
Burton's portrayal of the older Wagner, however, is truly magnificent. There are great performances here. This is the only film in which Sir Laurence Olivier, Sir John Gielgud, and Sir Ralph Richardson appear in a scene together.
Vanessa Redgrave as Cosima Wagner
The movie is true to Wagner's life, worts and all. All the eccentricities, anti-semitism, and genius are on full display. Vanessa Redgrave is also very good as Wagner's mistress and then second wife, Cosima. As a matter of fact, Redgrave and Burton are probably a lot better looking in the roles than the real people.
Richardson, Olivier and Gielgud
The perfomances of Laszlo Galffi as King Ludwig of Bavaria with Olivier, Gielgud and Richardson as his ministers is great. The score of Wagner's "greatest hits" was conducted by the renowned Wagner conducter Sir Georg Solti and was specially recorded for the film.
This movie is a must for all "Wagnerites" and opera fans. The Bad Catholic gives it five out of five violins.
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