The Mephisto Waltz (1971) Synopsis

Myles Clarkson has led an unremarkable life. Lambasted by the critics at his first and only professional concert following his stint at Juilliard where he was studying piano, he has instead turned to being a music journalist. This job has honed his writing skills, his wife Paula Clarkson, who is in the process of opening a women's boutique with her best friend Maggie West, believing it enough to make him a half-decent novelist if he wanted. Regardless of their modest life, Paula loves Myles and the emotional comfort of their marriage. Things change after Myles interviews famed, wealthy concert pianist Duncan Ely, who immediately sees in Myles signs of musical greatness, something confirmed by Duncan's adult daughter, divorced Roxanne Delancey. Duncan and Roxanne's overwhelming measures to include the Clarksons into their lives don't sit well with Paula, who doesn't understand what they see in either her or Myles to mesh with their lives, especially the extent taken to do so. Following Duncan's not so surprising passing in he being open about his leukemia diagnosis, Paula knows that something isn't right as Myles is a changed man, most notably becoming a piano virtuoso much in Duncan's style. When she believes she's discovered the sinister underpinnings of what has happened to Myles at Duncan and Roxanne's hands, Paula has to decide what to do to get Myles back.—Huggo

Myles Clarkson has led an unremarkable life. Lambasted by the critics at his first and only professional concert following his stint at Juilliard where he was studying piano, he has instead turned to being a music journalist. This job has honed his writing skills, his wife Paula Clarkson, who is in the process of opening a women's boutique with her best friend Maggie West, believing it enough to make him a half-decent novelist if he wanted. Regardless of their modest life, Paula loves Myles and the emotional comfort of their marriage. Things change after Myles interviews famed, wealthy concert pianist Duncan Ely, who immediately sees in Myles signs of musical greatness, something confirmed by Duncan's adult daughter, divorced Roxanne Delancey. Duncan and Roxanne's overwhelming measures to include the Clarksons into their lives don't sit well with Paula, who doesn't understand what they see in either her or Myles to mesh with their lives, especially the extent taken to do so. Following Duncan's not so surprising passing in he being open about his leukemia diagnosis, Paula knows that something isn't right as Myles is a changed man, most notably becoming a piano virtuoso much in Duncan's style. When she believes she's discovered the sinister underpinnings of what has happened to Myles at Duncan and Roxanne's hands, Paula has to decide what to do to get Myles back.—Huggo

Published Time: 2017-05-19 07:14:52