Is Maestro in Black and White? Bradley Cooper's latest film details explored

Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper feature in the upcoming biographical drama film Maestro, which made its Netflix debut on December 20, 2023, after having a limited theatrical release on November 22, 2023. The remarkable marriage of American composer Leonard Bernstein and actress Felicia Montealegre Bernstein serves as the basis for the film. Bradley Cooper plays the role of the legendary composer Leonard Bernstein, while Mulligan will portray Felicia Montealegre.

The official synopsis of the film reads,

"Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between cultural icon Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, Maestro, at its core, is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love."

The film is Bradley Cooper's second time in the seat of a director. The film's first teaser included many black and white shots and featured the 50s prominently to recapture Leonard Bernstein's life. Let us examine whether the film is shot entirely in black and white.

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Maestro features a significant portion filmed in Black and White to capture the initial stages of Leonard and Felicia's blossoming love

Maestro, directed by Bradley Cooper, features the work of the acclaimed cinematographer Matthew Libatique, whom he first worked with on A Star Is Born. The movie has been shot on film and features a large, strong swing that alternates between color and black and white and multiple aspect ratios, making for an occasionally exuberant and disorienting cinematic experience.

The passionate courting between Bernstein and Montealegre is shown in the traditional 4:3 Hollywood aspect ratio in black and white. When the plot advances in time and the couple's marriage reaches a deadlock, it finally switches to color.

Cooper's ability to capture those fluctuating emotions was immediately apparent to Libatique, particularly during a crucial scene where the couple quarrels in their Manhattan apartment. At the same time, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade passes outside their window. The distant, motionless camera silently watches as Bernstein's adultery causes the protagonists' brittle bond to fall apart.

A still from the film (image via Netflix)

Cooper claims that having years to prepare for Maestro— allowed him and Libatique to have flexibility when it came time to start filming. The esteemed director of photography, who has received two Oscar nominations, one for A Star Is Born, was eager to explore the possibilities of narrating Leonard Bernstein's life narrative through images. Nevertheless, he was somewhat aback by where Cooper's curiosity about the subject matter ultimately led him.

The film’s juxtaposition of black-and-white and color photography in multiple aspect ratios was always part of Cooper’s intention. In an interview with Netflix, he said the following,

"I knew for the first section I wanted to shoot in 35-millimeter, black-and-white. Working with the crew, and just communicating how important it was that the cinema of this feel like a memory, an imagination of these time periods, was so much fun."

The film features some brilliant shots, as is apparent from the teasers released by Netflix. The switch between color and black and white is somewhat symbolic in the movie and beautifully highlights the different aspects of Felicia and Leonard's relationship.

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Maestro features some brilliant performances from Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, and Maya Hawke. The biopic is currently streaming on Netflix.