The Montclair Movie Maven Reviews ... Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky!!!

Our Montclair Movie Maven took in Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky -- "The World Tilted and We Wound Up Here"... and her verdict? Read on to find out!

Moviegoers from all over northern New Jersey are flocking to Montclair to see Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky, the visually sumptuous French film that won Sélection Officielle at Cannes '09. The film focuses on the brief but intense affair between brooding Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and slinky Fashionista Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Rather than tell a simple love story, the film explores the interplay between power, money, passion, and art.  

Set in 1920s France, the spare, elegant script perfectly mirrors Chanel's stark aesthetic. (An example of the movie's dialogue: "You don't like color, Mademoiselle Chanel?" "Of course, as long as it's black.") But hidden beneath the breathtaking glamour is a lonely and ruthless businesswoman who deeply longs to be more than an aesthete. As the film opens, Stravinsky (Mads Mikkelen) watches in horror as his avant-garde ballet nearly causes a riot in a French theater. In the audience, Chanel (Anna Mougalis) recognizes that she is witnessing artistic genius. Later, when she offers the disgraced and impoverished composer and his family refuge at her country villa, Stravinsky has no choice but to accept. Musically he flourishes there, and movie's sequences of his piano compositions are riveting. But the intensity of his artistry proves irresistible to Chanel, who uses her sultry presence in the house to seduce the quiet but passionate man. The affair that follows feels inevitable, as two like souls share a beautiful and simple interlude.

However, it's the underlying dynamic of their union that's essential to this film. As Stravinsky's profound gratitude to Chanel gives way to a subtle loss of power, his self-respect and moral boundaries begin to fray. Calmly, Chanel captures the psychological upper hand and Stravinsky's marriage begins to disintegrate. Yelena Morozova gives an affecting performance as the composer's fragile wife, who asks Chanel at one point, "Don't you feel guilty?"  Her cool reply, "No."

Perhaps the most interesting part of this movie is when Stravinsky dares to challenge Chanel's supreme control. Each of their reactions and tactical methods of vengeance is fascinating, both as a profile of extraordinary personality and as a commentary on the function of art in society. This intelligent film, set to Stravinsky's haunting music, is a sensory experience that should not be missed. 

Movie Maven's Best Movie Moments: Chanel's quest for the perfect perfume, (that became her legendary perfume Chanel No. 5) and lines like, "You know what a man must do when confronted by a monster? Sing."

Movie Maven's Worst Movie Moments: The film's tendency to focus on the illicit affair rather than the artistic connection between the two formidable talents.

The R rating: Nudity and strong sexual content. In French with English subtitles.

Here's what other movie-goers at the Claridge Cinema thought of Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky:

James Cicenia (Roseland NJ): "I like Stravinsky and I love a love story. It was like the director was painting a portrait."

Penny Dragonetti (Glen Ridge): "I loved it! If you think of fashion as an art, which I do, it was exciting. I was fascinated by the colliding of two worlds, fashion, and music."

Dave Percoski (Caldwell): "Terrific. Personality over history has always interested me.  I love French culture, and this was very un-American: no explosions, no special effects, just a great human drama. I know this movie's been playing in New York and Paris, so I was glad to see it here."

Francesca Federico (age 18; my daughter): "Stravinsky's music fit in really well with the mood of the movie and Chanel's sensibilities. There were a lot of complex emotions below the surface. You could hear the sadness, the joy, and the anger."

Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky is playing this holiday weekend at the Clearview's Claridge Theater, 486 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair NJ 07042. 1 Hour, 55 minutes. Show times this week: 12:40; 3:40; 6:30; and 9:10 p.m.

This film was sold out for some shows this weekend at the Claridge Cinema so buy your tickets in advance.