Callas Forever (2002)

42% of critics liked it
(59 reviews)
55% of users liked it
(1,518 ratings)

A mournful look at the last days of opera diva Maria Callas, director Franco Zeffirelli's biographical drama attempts to explore the irresistible allure of a comeback for a fallen star who hungers for the success of her past. Weathered from the excess of the previous decade and with her best… More A mournful look at the last days of opera diva Maria Callas, director Franco Zeffirelli's biographical drama attempts to explore the irresistible allure of a comeback for a fallen star who hungers for the success of her past. Weathered from the excess of the previous decade and with her best performances long behind her, Callas (Fanny Ardant) withdraws to her Paris apartment to live her final days in seclusion. Despite being ravaged by a throat disease and being stuck in an extended period of mourning following the death of her true love, Callas' manager Larry Kelly (Jeremy Irons) nevertheless suggests that the former reigning queen of opera attempt a spectacular comeback. Though she is physically unable to perform the pieces the way that she once did, the suggestion to lip-sync to recordings of her previous performances offers a tentative chance for latter day fame. Despite her belief that lip-syncing her performance would be dishonest to her fans, the prospect of performing Carmen, an opera that she once recorded but never performed on stage, offers Callas one last shot at reliving her former glory. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 48 min.
Directed By: Franco Zeffirelli
Written By: Franco Zeffirelli, Martin Sherman
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Drama

In Theaters: Nov 5, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Jun 21, 2005
Studio: Regent Releasing

Critic Reviews

Olin Chism, Dallas Morning News
For Callas fans, this is a winner. For others, it should at least be interesting.
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle
The film's portrait of the singer is indelible. The story as a whole, however, doesn't hold together, primarily because the imaginary characters and situations that surround her are so inadequately sketched.
Tom Long, Detroit News
A film that forgets to bring its central character to life.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
For all the devotion Zeffirelli professes to Callas' legacy, the script reduces her to a cartoon.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Although the film will hold little appeal for non-opera buffs, its warmth trumps its clichés, odd casting and overacting.
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post
Goes far deeper into one man's opera-diva fetish than most people will want to follow.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
So appealing and ingratiating that it's hard not to be taken in by Zeffirelli's fantasy.
S. James Wegg, JWR
In his Ode to his colleague, Zeffirelli reminds us all how fragile egos can be and the lengths artists (and their producers) will go to remain in the limelight.
John Beifuss, Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
Zeffirelli's 'Carmen' looks more PBS than MGM, and this relative poverty helps explain why this sincere but bloodless film has taken three years to limp into theaters.
Robert W. Butler, Kansas City Star
The film rises and falls on Ardant's performance and, boy, does she deliver, chewing up scenery and making it look like delicate surgery.
Larry Ratliff, San Antonio Express-News
It's an odd little film with tremendous appeal. It's almost as if Zeffirelli ... has dug up a late-'70s time capsule to share with the world.
Marc Mohan, Oregonian
Justifies its dismissal of factual truth in favor of a deeper sort.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
Nothing more than Zeffirelli's wish-fulfillment, pretending to stage a production of 'Carmen' with Fanny Ardant acting as proxy for his late, great star.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
Zeffirelli is in his element celebrating Callas' glory and lushly staging Carmen. Alas, the rest of the movie... falls flat.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
Though for opera buffs the result may well be fun, it's also camp with a high C....Douglas Sirk and Ross Hunter, eat your hearts out.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Little of it works, and frankly, the film alternates between being dull and being almost campy fun.
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, TheMovieChicks.com
Bravura performances by all. Fanny Ardant shines as the woman in desperate need of a spotlight.