Korngold's Acting Gig

General questions regarding E.W.Korngold

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An Anonymous Musician

Korngold's Acting Gig

Post by An Anonymous Musician » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:18 am

I read in Jessica Duchen's biography of Korngold that in the composer's final picture, a docudrama on the life of Wagner called Magic Fire, on which he had served in the capacity of musical director, he has a cameo playing the part of the famed conductor Hans Richter. Though the picture, which was one of Republic's last productions before the studio was assimilated by CBS, has been recounted by all commentaries on it I've come across as being a greatly flawed and disappointing effort on its merits as a film and Korngold's job on the project as music editor was supposedly interfered with by the producer to the point where his intentions were almost entirely lost, I still think it might be fun just to see "The Father of Film Music" on motion-picture-quality film and with sound (does anyone know if he has lines in the movie?). In the middle of my writing this, I came across a similar message posted on the topic of this movie being available on either VHS or DVD which was answered in the negative. However, does anyone know if this film is at least ever shown on any of the vintage-movie networks like TCM?
Brendan Carroll

Post by Brendan Carroll » Mon Jul 25, 2005 9:13 am

MAGIC FIRE

Hasn't been on TV since the early 90s in Germany, the 80s in USA. Turner does not own it. EWK is seen but fleetingly (conducting vigorously but in close up complete with wig & beard!) and sadly has know dialogue.
An Anonymous Musician

Post by An Anonymous Musician » Tue Aug 16, 2005 8:27 am

Wait a sec! I came across this picture awhile back while surfing the web, and found it perplexing that Korngold has a beard and what can almost be described as a handlebar mustache that looks to have been taken from straight off the face of an extra in a saloon in a Western. I thought it was odd because I'd never seen any other pictures of him with even the least bit of stubble. Is this a snapshot from the movie of him with his fake beard on?
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