2024 OSCARS: Maestro (2023) - Music Intersecting with Action = Shows Her Impact on Him

[Quick Summary: A portrait of the up and down marriage of composer- conductor Leonard and Felicia Bernstein.]

Though well-written, I was not wildly moved by this script. 

I think it is a bit too much "slice of life" for me.  It's not exactly a biopic, but the story of a marriage between a passionate conductor and his equally vibrant wife. 

However, I did like how the writers crafted moments where Bernstein's compositions intersect with important emotional moments. 

The scene below was one of those moments:
-  The combination of music and action carry the theme of the film: Felicia's emotional impact on Lenny.
- As the first composition bursts forth through Lenny on the stage, we see how her support enables him to reach the highest emotions.
- Then with a second composition, the music breaks them apart.

INT. HOUSE/STAGE, ALDEPHI THEATER, NEW YORK - NIGHT

He smiles at her. A smile that'd make another woman blush. Felicia pulls back up against her seat to watch the ballet. We've jumped later in the piece to Fancy Free: VI. Three Dance Variations, Variation III (Danzon) and one of the sailors is dancing solo, like a serenade for the other two sailors. We PUSH IN on the dancer; the movements are sensual.

And we see the sailor is not LB himself, through Felicia's eyes, lost in his own movements, the eroticism of it all, titillating both to himself and his audience. We see this land on Felicia's face, this recognition of this complicated man.

On stage, LB moves through the end of the Variation, closer and closer to Felicia. First coming up to the barstool, drumming on his knee. Then standing on top of one, pounding on his chest, gorilla style, declaring his art form and then leaping up, landing almost in front of her as the music stops. 

Felicia shoots up from her chair and claps energetically for LB breaking free and expressing himself fully. LB beams, and moves right toward her, and they embrace and kiss.  [I thought this was great descriptive writing:"breaking free and expressing himself."]

We go into the kiss, close on them, the passion of their embrace as the top stage lights fair and BAM!!!

We hear the horn wail that marks the beginning of On the Town: Act 1: Opening: New York, New York. This breaks them apart.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I think this scene, with only music and action, may have been the best way of explaining the unexplainable impact Felicia had on Lenny.

Maestro (2023)(undated)
by Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer