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Snowflakes fall gently upon slender, white-covered tree branches. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A plays soothingly in the background as intermittent voices describe the 18^th-century composer as “unique,” “a genius,” and “unparalleled.” And thus begins the thoroughly engrossing 2006 documentary In Search of Mozart.

Written and directed by documentary filmmaker Phil Grabsky (2001’s Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World and 2009’s In Search of Beethoven), In Search of Mozart takes us on a terrific musical journey beginning with the birth of the world’s greatest composer in 1756 in Salzburg, Austria.

When Wolfgang’s father, Leopold, realizes he has a child prodigy on his hands, he leaves Salzburg to put him on display all across Europe. While Wolfgang may have wowed nobility, his talents are often greeted with jealously by adult composers, who sometimes tried to sabotage his creations.

As he grows older, we gain great insight into his persona through readings of letters written by himself, Leopold, and his mother, among others. Parallels are drawn between certain life events that matured Wolfgang into adulthood—such as his mother’s death, the increasingly strained relationship with Leopold, and rejection by his first love—and the maturation and depth of his music.

To further underpin his film, Grabsky utilizes a wide variety of interviews with modern-day composers, musicians, historians, and opera performers. While the close-ups he uses are too close up, Grabsky’s subjects speak with incredible passion, respect, and awe for Wolfgang’s music, which they treat as a living, breathing thing.

Mozart enthusiasts will also revel in the numerous pieces, including operas, which are captured as the artists perform them. It is much like witnessing a “best of” concert, except this one also serves as a biographical tool.

The graphics—i.e. the lettering that appears onscreen for identification and translation purposes—is adequately functional, yet its quality is reminiscent of something you would have seen flash across a TV screen in 1982 during an Atari video game session.

Above all else, In Search of Mozart shows us that Wolfgang was a normal, albeit brilliant man who was deeply passionate about his music. In the end, his death at 35, despite the passage of time since, still resonates as nothing less than tragic.

On a letter grade scale from “A” being excellent to “F” for failing, In Search of Mozart receives an A.

In Search of Mozart is unrated and has a running time of 128 minutes.

Now showing through April 7 @
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for more information.

By Michael D. Smith

Indie Film Editor

Michael D. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri followed by a Master of Arts in history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Inspired by such critics as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, Michael started reviewing films in 1992 for College of the Ozarks's student-run newspaper. After returning to the Kansas City area in 1994, he continued film reviewing by writing for the Cass County Democrat Missourian in Harrisonville.

In 2000 Michael joined Sun Publications in Overland Park, Kansas where he served as its film critic and Arts and Entertainment Editor. During his tenure there, he was also the film critic for the "Fine Arts Radio Hour" and "Celebrity Scoop" radio shows on KXTR. After leaving the Sun in late 2002, he became the A&E writer for the Olathe News in Olathe, Kansas. He also worked as a freelance writer for The Squire in Leawood, Showcase Publishing in Lake Ozark, Missouri and the Kansas City Star.

Michael is currently a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, a professional film critic organization established in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser.