Review of Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (2009) by Walter M — 12 Aug 2011

"Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" starts in 1913 as a new ballet is being performed in Paris to a less than rapt audience. Instead of running away to stay one step ahead of the mob, composer Igor Stravinsky(Mads Mikkelsen) is bent on critiquing the dancers while Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel(Anna Mouglalis) almost has an orgasm just from being in the audience. Seven years later, Stravinsky is one of many Russian exiles living in Paris. Chanel offers him and his family her country villa to stay at but out of pride he refuses. Changing his mind is worries over his wife Katerina's(Elena Morozova) health.

"Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" is an intriguing, handsomely produced and great looking bit of speculation centered around the collision of like-minded and obsessed individuals who would both change the world.(You have to figure Stravinsky is on the right track with the extremely mixed reaction he gets.) While I do applaud any movie that leaves things unsaid, it is more than a little disappointing how little passion is on display. Otherwise, I do not have much problem with the deliberate pace, even though the opening dance scene probably goes on too long. A couple of cinematic flourishes help offset that.