Way superior to Milos Foreman's "Amadeus" as a biopic of a music composer. Superb visuals and an imaginative screenplay with an aside at Visconti's "Death in Venice." Weak points: the surreal visuals indicating the influence influence of Cosima Wagner on Mahler, causing him to become a Christian, possibly for pecuniary considerations. He was born a Jew, In the film, Mahler states his religion is music/composing music. The strong points: the surreal segments of Mahler's death and the imagined reaction of his wife to the event (depicted by Mahler peering out from his coffin, before cremation. The death of Mahler's daughter is another well depicted sequence. The lead players (Robert Powell, Georgina Hale) and Ronald Pickup as Nick provide creditable performances.