Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: TCHAIKOVSKY’S WIFE [Cannes Film Festival 2022]
The notion of love and ambition has often been the key to many a dynasty but also to a broken or perhaps misshapen heart. The idea of "Tchaikovsky's Wife" [Competition], it melds in the idea of Antonina Miliukova (Alyona Mikhailova) who wants to be a musician and composer but because of her sex will not be allowed in more dynamic social circles. An early party she attends puts in her mind to do this through marriage through the one genius she knows: Tchaikovsky. But the forcing of the issue becomes the rub of the film. It is a little extreme on her part to say she will die without him and she will look at no other men, even if it might be a lie. The movie plays with Tchaikovsky's notion of society and how certain predictivities he had would be overlooked or covered just because there is money involved: a societal function still relevant today. But the film is a meditation on using and being used as well since Tchaikovsky is not innocent either because he sees Antonina as a way to get out of debt and balance the perceptions (at least for a short while). But there is no quid pro quo in the relationship as these characters pass each other in the night, not fully aware of what they could really do if acceptance were available (but alas this is a very different time.
The visuals like "Immortal Beloved" paint the life but without a sense of opera. Mikhailova is quite good and you can feel her pain and scorn as she ages but the beauty of her initial rush is not lost by a long shot. The reality is that she entered into the melee ignorant but still with her eyes open. The main issue of the film is that it doesn't optimize the music really at all. Even though this is a perspective of his wife some of the scenes especially those done in candlelight would have benefitted greatly. Also the perspective of the film is slightly tinted because it is the sole Russian film in the festival at a very uncertain time. However since it is more historical there is no connotation to see if different. The reality is like many films, "Tchaikovsky's Wife" has potential with a vivid performance by Mikhailova and the story takes chances at times (whether involving desire, fulfillment, betrayal or simply apathy) but it never rachets them to the right pitch. It just feels like it could have been a little more despite the time and the dramatic license needed. B-
By Tim Wassberg
