A Masterpiece!

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Standard, typical tear-jerker - highly-renowned concerto artist deserts family to take off with his child's piano teacher. They cavort around Europe until she finally throws him out and resumes her music career.The ladies in the audience use up three handkerchiefs apiece with their weeping. The men wonder at the idiot male who gives up the luscious Bergman to return to sleep with his wife who is stupid enough to take him back.The plot is straight out of East Lynne and told dozens of times on stage and in screen. Two star-crossed lovers finally come to their senses when they are reminded about the lives they are ruining with their carrying-ons. So they cry on each others shoulders and go their separate ways. A stinker of a movie.

In 1939 Leslie Howard made a meal out of noble suffering and he did it equally well when the budget was a stick of gum as here or when it ran into the young millions as in Gone With The Wind. This is a movie you Want to like not least because it marked the English-speaking debut of Ingrid Bergman who was just as gorgeous at 24 as she remained until her death - trivia buffs may like to know that she played a classical pianist both in this, her first English-speaking film and Autumn Sonata her last film on the big screen which was, of course, shot in Swedish, her native language. With only seventy minutes to play with Gregory Ratoff is prodigal with time; the film opens with violin maestro Howard playing a farewell gig at Carnegie Hall; he then TELLS his audience that he is returning home to Sweden; he is then SHOWN on board ship to Sweden in a scene that adds little to the story and then he Arrives in Sweden. Today, in fact for the last forty years or so, a director would cut from Carnegie Hall directly to Howard at home in Sweden but that's really a minor beef. What we have here is our old friend the 'woman's picture' or 'weepie' and it's strangely disjointed; Ratoff at times seems to be anticipating the New Wave in his abrupt cuts. It's ironic that Bergman made her to all intents and purposes film debut as an adulteress who would play the part for real a decade later when she co-starred with Roberto Rossellini in Life Imitating Art. Perhaps in an effort to sugar the pill the adulterers are depicted as cultured, cultivated people, classical musicians in fact as if that somehow lessens the pain of those left behind and almost adding insult to injury they throw in a scene where Howard's young daughter (Ann E Todd) is so happy to see him when he makes a fleeting visit home that she dashes in front of a car and is badly injured. But relax, folks, this is 1939; we don't do infant mortality and lo and behold if in the final scene long-suffering and saintly wife Edna Best takes him back into the fold no questions asked. A few years ago 20th Century Fox reissued some of their classic films (Laura comes to mind) in truncated versions, a gimmick that failed to catch on and Intermezzo is reminiscent of one of these, its actual seventy minutes feeling more like forty and investing it with an air of Adultery-lite.

Gregg Tolland, Cinematographer, did win the 1940 Oscar, for Wuthering Heights, but he was also nominated for Intermezzo: A Love Story, in the same ceremony that same year. Having replaced Harry Stradling Sr., who passed away in 1970, and whose final three movies were with Barbra Streisand on Funny Girl, Hello Dolly, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and The Owl and the Pussycat. He goes uncreated on the Black and White 1939 movie of Intermezzo: A Love Story.This is a piece of Cinematographers heaven, with the sheer beauty of light and shade that fill you with awe and astonishment, the atmospheric moods that highlight the drama that enlighten before us. This is visual storytelling at its brightest and never a dull moment.Gregory Ratoff, Russian born in 1897 and who died in 1960, was in his life, an actor, and at other times, director, with director credits going to him for Intermezzo: A Love Story. He has the honour of directing the very beautiful Ingrid Bergman in her first Hollywood role. With her reprise of the same role from the 1936 movie: Intermezzo, this is her first English-speaking role too, (using also, the original screenplay writers of the 1936 movie). As this movie, minus front and rear credits, is only one hour and five minutes long, it would seem that such an recognisable plot would benefit both Studio Bosses and actress alike, no doubt, as an introduction to the English speaking masses.Ms. Bergman's acting comes across as sincere and with her talent and beauty holds no bounds, she is amazing, her perfection and delivery are second to none. She perpetuates her skills with grace and professionalism that any would aspire too. Whilst on the other hand, Leslie Howard plays the decorous stick in the mud, with his simplistic role of the very upper middle class, and with his values and etiquette's that are so now dated, in the movies that is. He tries too hard to please, to come over as the archetypal highbrow and well-heeled good friend to everyone, except his own family. His greed for the other Love, in the end, breaks up this very happy, well-to-do, high society life. This can't be a bad thing by any means, for then we would not see the wonderful and charming acting ability of the young seven year old Ann Todd, who plays the victimised daughter caught between the heartbreak of the betrayed Mother and her cheating Father. Ann Todd is young, but her performance is extraordinary, next to any Hollywood actor of the time, they too would find it hard not to be out classed by Ms. Todd."Oh my God! Did I just see "that" or was I dreaming?" There is a very brief moment in Intermezzo: A Love Story which happens with Ms. Bergman, while she is in a shot all off her own, while looking down at her Lover, it took me by surprise and was, in a way, quite shocking and breath taking, you'll know what I mean after you have seen it. Very inventive and unexpected. Overall, Intermezzo: A Love Story is a beautifully shot movie that conveys the struggle of Marriage and how to keep the Family values together, while in the face of temptation. To convey the message that the grass may be a little greener on the other side, but only for a short while, and that Love, in the end, really does Conquer All.One hour and five minutes of Hollywood bliss. Lose yourself.

I normally don't gravitate toward melodramas nor would I approve, frankly, of a film that centers around adultery. However, this film has such much going for it that I wound up loving this movie the first time I saw it, and still do six viewings later. Off the cuff, here are seven reasons why:1) There IS a good message here: that a married person having a fling with a pretty young woman might be an exciting prospect but in the end, "you reap what you sow" and if either of the two parties has a conscience, the illicit romance will be doomed, especially if there are kids involved.2 ) For male viewers, Ingrid Bergman, making her English-speaking debut, is a real feast for the eyes. She was one of the more naturally gorgeous women to grace the silver screen, I think.3) Gregg Toland's photography. To fully appreciate his work, get the DVD for this film. Toland was one of the best ever, and this is a beautifully shot piece of work. 4) At 70 minutes, the film flies by, which also makes it easier to watch and enjoy multiple times.5) Leslie Howard and John Halliday also were excellent in here as the two male leads. I thought Halliday, in particular, had some great words of wisdom.6) For those who appreciate how difficult it is to forgive people, this ending contained another nice message.7) Classical music lovers will very much appreciate the soundtrack to this film.