A Song to Remember

The young Frédéric Chopin grows up in Poland under his teacher Professor Elsner. He goes with him to Paris, and there he meets the writer George Sand. Sand takes him under her wing and sees him rise in the musical world; but Chopin drifts away from his old friends and from his tie to Poland. As his health fails he is forced to choose between the two sides. Charles Vidor's film invents Chopin's life freely and has been much criticised for its accuracy: Elsner did not teach him the piano and did not go to Paris with him, and Chopin exhausting himself in concerts for the sake of patriotism has no support in the historical sources. Cornel Wilde was nominated for an Oscar as Chopin. Merle Oberon plays Sand and Paul Muni plays Elsner. The film picked up several further nominations in technical categories.