''The Magic Bow'' is a 1946 British

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serv ...

based on the life and loves of the Italian violinist and composer

Niccolò Paganini Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (; ; 27 October 178227 May 1840) was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices ...

. It was directed by

Bernard Knowles Bernard Knowles (20 February 1900 – 12 February 1975) was an English film director, producer, cinematographer and screenwriter. Born in Manchester, Knowles worked with Alfred Hitchcock on numerous occasions before the director emigrated to H ...

. The film was entered into the

1946 Cannes Film Festival The 1st annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 20 September to 5 October 1946. Twenty-one countries presented their films at the "First Cannes International Film Festival", which took place at the former Casino of Cannes. Only one year after t ...

Cast

Stewart Granger Stewart Granger (born James Lablache Stewart; 6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) was a British film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s, rising to fame thr ...

Phyllis Calvert Phyllis Hannah Murray-Hill (née Bickle; 18 February 1915 – 8 October 2002), known professionally as Phyllis Calvert, was an English film, stage and television actress. She was one of the leading stars of the Gainsborough melodramas of the 1 ...

as Jeanne de Vermond * Jean Kent as Bianca * Dennis Price as Paul de la Rochelle *

Cecil Parker Cecil Parker (born Cecil Schwabe; 3 September 1897 – 20 April 1971) was an English actor with a distinctively husky voice, who usually played supporting roles, often characters with a supercilious demeanour, in his 91 films made between 1 ...

as Luigi Germi *

Felix Aylmer Sir Felix Edward Aylmer Jones (21 February 1889 – 2 September 1979) was an English stage actor who also appeared in the cinema and on television. Aylmer made appearances in films with comedians such as Will Hay and George Formby. Early life ...

as Signor Fazzini * Frank Cellier as Antonio * Marie Lohr as Countess de Vermond * Henry Edwards as Count de Vermond * Mary Jerrold as Teresa Paganini *

Betty Warren Babette Hilda Hogan (31 October 1907 – 15 December 1990), known professionally as Betty Warren, was a British people, British actress active from the 1930s to the 1950s. She was best known for her comedy roles in ''Champagne Charlie (1944 film ...

as Landlady * Anthony Holles as Manager * David Horne as Rizzi *

Robert Speaight Robert William Speaight (; 1904 – 1976) was a British actor and writer, and the brother of George Speaight, the puppeteer. Speaight studied under Elsie Fogerty at the Central School of Speech and Drama, then based in the Royal Albert Hall, ...

as Cardinal * Charles Victor as Peasant Driver

Production

The film was based on a 1941 book. Maurice Ostrer announced the project in July 1945. The lead role was offered to James Mason who was excited to accept it and started practising the violin. However, when he read the script, he was disappointed to find it focused on Paganini's love life and turned it down. The part went to Stewart Granger.

Yehudi Menuhin Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin (22 April 191612 March 1999), was an American-born British violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in Britain. He is widely considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. ...

was hired to perform the violin solos heard in the film. He arrived in London in May 1945 to record the tracks. In August it was announced

would play the lead role as part of his last two films for

Gainsborough Pictures Gainsborough Pictures was a British film studio based on the south bank of the Regent's Canal, in Poole Street, Hoxton in the former Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch, east London. Gainsborough Studios was active between 1924 and 1951. The co ...

; the other project was ''

Caravan Caravan or caravans may refer to: Transport and travel *Campervan, a type of vehicle also known as a motor caravan *Caravan (travellers), a group of travellers journeying together **Caravanserai, a place where a caravan could stop *Caravan (trail ...

''.

was to be his co-star. Filming had to be postponed due to an illness to Phyllis Calvert, so ''

'' was rushed into production and made first. Phyllis Calvert's character was fictitious, a composite of various women who had helped Paganini. The character of Bianca, the Italian singer, was real. Margaret Lockwood was originally announced to play the role, but was replaced by Jean Kent. Lockwood wrote in her memoirs that she felt it was "a very poor and unsuitable role... I was so offended by the script that, although I was under contract, I had made up my mind I would not accept it." At the suggestion of

they went to see J. Arthur Rank, who neither had met. Lockwood said "he was absolutely charming, heard both of us voice our opinions on various scripts, and, as far as I was concerned, upheld my determination not to accept the part of Bianca." Kent later recalled "I had marvellous costumes in that bit not a very good part. You expect she

ianca Ianca () is a town in Brăila County, Muntenia, Romania. With a population of 8,969 people as of 2021, it is the second-largest urban locality in the county. The town's area is , of which have the status of residential area. The town administers ...

is going to do something and she never does. It's a film that went wrong. Originally I believe they wanted Margaret Lockwood to play it. Presumably then it would have been a much better part, I don't know what happened. Bernard Knowles was a very good cameraman but not a director."Brian MacFarlane, ''An Autobiography of British Cinema'', Methuen 1997 p 340 (Kent routinely played roles devised for Lockwood.) Producer R. J. Minner said that:

We are doing it he filmas delicately as possible, as a study of sacred and profane love. Paganini's relationship with Bianca is rather a tricky business to get past the
Hays Office The Motion Picture Production Code was a set of industry guidelines for the self-censorship of content that was applied to most motion pictures released by major studios in the United States from 1934 to 1968. It is also popularly known as th ...
, but we hope, with tact, to manage it. He knew Bianca all his life. He couldn't do it without her. She sang at all his concerts. He kept quarrelling with her and coming back to her. She made him ill and nearly killed him, and in the end he left her.

Granger was given two violin tutors. Menuhin used two violins and spent six weeks recording tracks.

Reception

Box office

More traditional Gainsborough melodramas like ''The Wicked Lady'' and ''Caravan'' made the list of popular British films for 1946 but not ''The Magic Bow''.

Critical reception

In their review, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' concluded, "...the behind-the-scenes playing of Yehudi Menuhin as the violinist, drawing his magic bow over the compositions of Paganini, Tartini and

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

, is in itself almost worth the price of admission. Stewart Granger, playing Paganini, offers creditable make-believe as a violinist and does his best to play the man in a forthright manner. Considering the script, that is something of an accomplishment. Phyllis Calvert, as the other half of the romance, does well under the same handicaps, while Jean Kent and Dennis Price, aso icfacing script difficulties, do the best they can as a couple of jilted lovers. What few pleasant moments occur in the film — outside of the splendid musical sequences — fall to Cecil Parker as Paganini's manager. He presided over the two or three occasions when the audience laughed." The film was entered in the 1946 Cannes Film Festival.

References

External links

*
Review of film
at ''Variety''
Magic Bow'' at BFI Screenonline
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magic Bow, The 1946 films 1940s historical musical films British historical musical films British black-and-white films Gainsborough Pictures films Biographical films about musicians Cultural depictions of Niccolò Paganini Films directed by Bernard Knowles Films about classical music and musicians Films set in the 19th century Films about violins and violinists Films about composers 1940s English-language films 1940s British films English-language historical musical films