Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Is it better to be the lover or to be loved? This is the central question of "Rhapsody", a film about a young woman, Louise Durant (Elizabeth Taylor), and the two musicians between whom she divides her attention. Paul Bronte (Vittorio Gassman) is a violinist and James Guest (John Ericson) is a pianist. Each falls for the charms of Louise, though they differ in the way they choose to divide their time between Louise and their fledgling music careers.The director of the film, Charles Vidor, may have overused filters in Ms. Taylor's closeups, but who am I to argue with the wonderful results? At age 22, she is the personification of radiant beauty in this film, and anyone can understand how these men might be distracted.The film is filled with enjoyable music, and it should be mentioned that Gassman and Ericson have to fake playing some extremely difficult passages, which they do very well. As an aside, check out Vittorio Gassman in "Sharkey's Machine" (1981) if you want to see him play a contrastingly villainous role.The film rolls along amicably until the finale, which is full of emotion and transcendence, making the film worthwhile. Louise unexpectedly finds understanding and is transported to a greater love. One of the musicians discovers within himself a strength he never knew he had. And the accompanying music is Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto--one of the most beautiful romantic pieces ever written.I would describe the ending as Randian, a reflection of Ayn Rand's views on romantic love. Many misunderstand her lifeview as cold and calculating, but nothing could be further from the truth. Just as she celebrated the heroic in men/women, she championed heroic love between two people. Rachmaninoff's Second is not just romantic, it is triumphant. As the orchestra swells over the insistent notes of the piano, the music emphasizes the adoring look on the face of Louise and it celebrates the pianist's new-found egoism (self love, based upon his self-accomplishment). It's a beautiful scene on many levels and it elevates the film significantly.

I bumped into this film today, read a couple of reviews here and decided to see what the fuss was all about.Yes the music is central here as is the extreme devotion the characters dedicate to it. Obsession and drive/ambition to be the best in the world of the concert hall has and always will be the focus of the soloist.The violinist and pianist are also competing for the love of a woman who has no clue about that ambition and obsession. Taylor does a good job of it, and realizes finally near the end that she can be part of the musical life of one she loves.Love and music both win out at the end.This film also reminds me of "The Competition" with Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving. Again competing and winning in love and music prevails in that film as well. I wouldn't be surprised if the producer and director of "The Competition" did an intensive study of "Rhapsody" to put their film together.One other thing, both Gassman and Ericson were excellent in mimicking their performances on their respective instruments. It is not easy accomplishing that, and both Dreyfuss and Irving did as well in "The Competition," which I recommend as a follow-up to this film.

Rhapsody is all about beautiful music and beautiful Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor, in a short, stylish hairdo, is at the height of her beauty in this stunningly photographed color film. And she's not the only beauty. Vittorio Gassman plays one of her love interests. Just try keeping your eyes off of him. Handsome John Ericson is the other man in her life.All in all, it's candy for the eyes and ears, gorgeous to watch and to listen to with all that classical music. Elizabeth Taylor plays a role perfect for her, i.e., a spoiled, rich brat. She follows the man of her dreams, Gassman, a gifted violinist, to music school in Zurich, even though her own musical ability is pathetic and she'll have nothing to do except wait around for him to finish classes and rehearsals. When it's obvious that Gassman is totally immersed in his music, she begins to compete with the violin for his attention. All three leads are excellent, as is Louis Calhern as Taylor's father. Taylor wears beautiful outfits. I'm certain this film was intended to be a showcase for her beauty, and there it succeeds. Despite some harsh comments made on the board, I think this you just have to take it for what it was intended to be and no more. Very entertaining.

Another pampered lady of wealth, another rebellious daughter of another rich man, Liz is the destructive element in the lives of two musicians… A girl with a lot of time on her hands, she desires urgent attention… So, while Vittorio Gassman intently practices his scales, the poor little rich girl tickles his ears or reclines indifferently on elegantly upholstered divans… She's the aimless femme fatale, the idle jet set flirt: decorative, but useless…As usual, Taylor plays a wealthy girl who couldn't make her mind between two quite different musicians, each of whom has his weakness… Gassman, a tough-minded violinist, will not mix business with pleasure—its art before Liz… But John Ericson, a brilliant pianist, cannot so easily resist the Taylor enchantment, and he submits under, taking to drink under the strain of living with Liz and her millions…The film is a tedious romantic drama which vainly attempted a smart veneer but remains justly proud of a splendid musical soundtrack