Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky: A Quick Movie Summary

By Melvin Gomez


On May 24, 2009, a movie debuted at the Cannes Film Festival about two world famous celebrities. They were the famed French designer Coco Chanel and Russian musician Igor Stravinsky. The movie was selected as the Closing Firm of the festival. It was simply titled Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky.

This movie is a French film that is based on the novel written by Chris Greenhalgh in the year 2002. It is a fictional novel; however many feel that the novel and movie are fact based. The film is generally about the alleged affair between Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky that they engaged in while living in Paris, France in 1920.

This movie was released the same year that another film about the famed designer was released. The other movie, Coco avant Chanel, starred Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel. Directed by Anne Fontaine, this film was not as well received as the one about the stars' love affair.

The plot of the movie is rather engaging. The movie starts off in Paris, France in the year 1913. Coco Chanel is attending the premier a rather outrageous performance called Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. The ballet was extremely controversial which actually caused the audience to break out into the most well known musical riots ever.

The scores and choreography shocked the audience which, at the time, was more accustomed to demure classical ballet. However, Coco Chanel was not appalled by the ballet as most people were. She is intrigued, especially with Stravinsky rushes angrily out of the theater.

Seven years pass and Chanel and Stravinsky come in contact again. Coco Chanel has become a successful designer with a thriving business. She is mourning the death of her lover, Arthur "Boy" Capel when she meets Igor. Stravinsky has been forced to leave Russian after the Russian Revolution and has fled to France. The two are immediately attracted to one another.

Coco Chanel invites the musician, his wife, and his children to live in a villa outside of Paris that she owns. It is during that time that Chanel and Stravinsky begin their secret love affair. As a result of their secret and growing passion for one another, their work gets better and more creative. During this affair, the infamous perfume, Chanel No. 5 is created. It also said that during this affair, Stravinsky's work began to take on a more liberated tone. As with any good love affair, their must be drama. The drama ensues when Igor's wife finds out about the affair that her husband is engaging in with Coco Chanel.

Jan Kounen directed the movie and Chris Greenhalgh wrote the screenplay along with the book. The movie was filmed in three languages, French, English, and Russian. It stars Ann Mouglalis as Coco Chanel and Mads Mikkelson as Igor Stravinsky. Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky opened around the world after it's premier at the Cannes Film Festival. The initial reviews were mixed. The film was said to be sophisticated but it lacked imagination. It also was not as developed as the book and left the viewer wanting more.




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