Eroica (1949) DVD-R

Starring Ewald Balser, Marianne Schönauer, Judith Holzmeister, Oskar Werner, Dagny Servaes, Ivan Petrovich

Director: Walter Kolm-Veltee
Print: Black and White
Runtime: 95 min.
Genre: Drama, Music
Language: German
Subtitle: English

Napoleon is marching on Vienna. While many of the city's citizens acknowledge the fact with horror, the composer Ludwig van Beethoven speaks passionately for the revolutionary Bonaparte. He even composes an "Eroica" symphony for Napoleon, but then becomes bitterly disappointed when the Corsican seizes the imperial crown and its power. Not only does Beethoven then cross out the dedication to Napoleon on his symphony, but flees Vienna when an invitation from the emperor to perform before him is brought to Beethoven by French emissaries. Beethoven leaves for Hungary, where he will meet the love of his life ... and whom he'll eventually have to give up. Eventually returning to Vienna, he is plagued by an ever-worsening deafness, which leads him to despair and desperation. Nevertheless, he continues to work tirelessly, even creating new works.