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Mahler

PG 1974 1h 55m Biography Drama List
75% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 77% Audience Score 500+ Ratings
After time away spent conducting at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Gustav Mahler (Robert Powell) is returning to Austria by train with his wife, Alma (Georgina Hale). Over the course of the journey, he has occasion to reflect upon the significant moments of his life. Among others, Mahler dwells on memories of his overbearing father, of his once buoyant but now failing relationship with Alma and of the anti-Semitism that dogged him so much that he converted to Catholicism. Read More Read Less

Critics Reviews

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Eddie Harrison film-authority.com ... Sure, there’s an Oliver Reed cameo and an anachronistic dream sequence featuring Nazis, but Russell keeps the bit between his teeth and delivers an austere, dignified picture of musical genius that, shorn of sensationalism ,almost no-one saw in 1975. Rated: 3/5 Jan 23, 2024 Full Review Ann Scott Spare Rib [A] ghastly film. Sep 20, 2021 Full Review John Simon Esquire Magazine Collectors of supreme cinematic monstrosities had better keep a sharp lookout for Ken Russell's latest, Mahler, which may yet set a quick disappearance record even for a Russell film. Jul 30, 2020 Full Review Jacoba Atlas Los Angeles Free Press A panorama of sight and sound rarely encountered in conventional film making. Dec 6, 2019 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 3/5 Sep 1, 2005 Full Review Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) This is filmmaking -- and filmmaking of a kind we've rarely seen. Rated: 5/5 Jun 23, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alec B It has a good balance of more traditional materiel (i.e. everything on the train) and Russell's insane fantasy sequences. The conversion scene with Cosima Wagner as a fascist Brunhilda is one of the more memorable visuals in Russell's oeuvre. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Audience Member It has a good balance of more traditional materiel (i.e. everything on the train) and Russell's insane fantasy sequences. The conversion scene with Cosima Wagner as a fascist Brunhilda is one of the more memorable visuals in Russell's oeuvre. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member "Mahler" shows the surrealist brilliance of Russell, proving he can make a "normal" movie & an insane one simultaneously. More akin to an actual biopic than other Russell composer bios, we see how Mahler's obsessions affected his work & his marriage; Alma's arc is devastating. Still, the fever-dream absurdity is prevalent; in this film especially, he leans into the Lebowski-esque humor in these segments, which while emotionally confusing at times, it's also wonderfully entertaining & undeniably intentional. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Well its Ken Russell, so the film goes "there" in several bizarro sequences. It surely is never boring. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Ken Russell's MAHLER has sadly seemingly been forgotten. This is cinematic art. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Interesting watch......and easier viewing than Lisztomania! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Mahler

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Mahler

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Movie Info

Synopsis After time away spent conducting at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Gustav Mahler (Robert Powell) is returning to Austria by train with his wife, Alma (Georgina Hale). Over the course of the journey, he has occasion to reflect upon the significant moments of his life. Among others, Mahler dwells on memories of his overbearing father, of his once buoyant but now failing relationship with Alma and of the anti-Semitism that dogged him so much that he converted to Catholicism.
Director
Ken Russell
Producer
Roy Baird
Screenwriter
Ken Russell
Rating
PG
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 55m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)