Impromptu-An Adorable Little Film About Chopin!

Impromptu-Judy Davis, Hugh Grant, Mandy Patinkin

If you are looking for a serious biopic about Frederic Chopin, do NOT watch this! If you want a fun period piece with some wonderful music and a good dollop of comedy, this is your film.

This is one of my favourite films, which probably says a lot about me. This film just makes me laugh. And it transports me with  the amazing music of Frederic Chopin.

Impromptu Cast-Hugh Grant, Mandy Patinkin, Julian Sands, Judy Davis and Bernadette Peters

This 1991 gem centers on the artistic community in Paris in the 19th century in a very lighthearted way as it follows the cross-dressing writer George Sand (played magnificently by Judy Davis) as she energetically pursues the consumptive Chopin (a rather too healthy looking Hugh Grant). It also has Bernadette Peters as Marie d'Agoult, love interest of Franz Liszt (a very sexy Julian Sands) and Mandy Patinkin  as Alfred de Musset, George Sand's jilted ex-lover. Emma Thompson however, steals the show as the loopy Duchess D'Antan, intent on collecting the greatest artists of the age around her.

Emma Thompson as the Duchess D'Antan in Impromptu

There is a lot of wonderful music and passionate commentary on art, love and life but it is mixed in with so much comedy that this is a very singular film. A real treat for those who don't like their historical biopics dry. It was filmed entirely in France, so the visuals are quite equal to Chopin's music.

Julian Sands as Liszt and Hugh Grant as Chopin-The men are prettier than the women!

I had this one in my migraine movie post below, but it is actually better categorized as a rainy-day film or a recovering-from-a-cold film. It will lift your spirits but it may not be calm enough for a headache night! Enjoy!