The Saddest Music in the World Synopsis & Summary

Synopsis

Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin directs The Saddest Music in the World, reworked from an original screenplay by Kazuo Ishiguro. Set in Winnipeg during the Great Depression, the film involves a contest announced by the legless and glamorous Lady Port-Huntly (Isabella Rossellini) to find the saddest music in the world. She's hoping the contest will result in increased sales of her company's brand of beer. American theatrical producer Chester Kent (Mark McKinney) shows up to win the contest with his kooky show-business idea, while brother Roderick Kent (Ross McMillan) returns from the war. Maria de Medeiros plays Narcissa, a sleep walker romantically linked to both brothers. Their father, the alcoholic doctor Fyodor Kent (David Fox), is tortured by his role in Lady Port-Huntly's leg amputation, so he makes her a new glass pair filled with beer. The Saddest Music in the World was shown at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival. - Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Movie Info

Theatrical Release Date:
04/30/2004
DVD Release Date:
11/16/2004
Rating:
R
Run Time:
99 min.
Distributor(s):
Independent Artists
Production Co.:
Buffalo Gal, Ego Film Arts, Rhombus Media, TVA Films
Director(s):
Genre(s):
Themes:
Love Triangles, Musician's Life, Tortured Genius
Tone:
Dreamlike, Enigmatic, Fanciful, Poignant
Keywords:
Great-Depression, amputation, beer, brother, contest, music, music-competition, prosthesis
Country of Origin:
USA - Limited (04-30-2004)
Time Period:
1933
Language:
English
Status:
DVD