Impromptu ★★★ 1990 (PG-13)

A smart, sassy, romantic comedy set in 1830s Europe among the era's artistic greats—here depicted as scalawags, parasites and early beatniks. The film's ace is Davis in a lusty, dynamic role as mannish authoress George Sand, obsessively in love with the dismayed composer Chopin. Though he's too pallid a character for her attraction to be credible, a great cast and abundant wit make this a treat. Beautiful score featuring Chopin and Liszt. Film debut of stage director Lapine; screenplay written by his wife, Sarah Kernochan. 108m/C VHS, DVD . Judy Davis, Hugh Grant, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Julian Sands, Ralph Brown, Georges Corraface, Anton Rodgers, Emma Thompson, Anna Massey, John Savident, Elizabeth Spriggs; D: James Lapine; W: Sarah Kernochan; C: Bruno de Keyzer. Ind. Spirit ‘92: Actress (Davis).

im·promp·tu / imˈpräm(p)ˌt(y)oō/ • adj. & adv. done without being planned, organized, or rehearsed: [as adj.] an impromptu press conference | [as adv.] he spoke impromptu. • n. (pl. -tus) a short piece of instrumental music, esp. a solo, that is reminiscent of an improvisation.

impromptu (Fr.). Literally ‘improvised’ or ‘on the spur of the moment’, but in 19th cent., name given to short piece of instr. mus., often in song-like form, e.g. those by Schubert, Chopin, and Schumann. In 20th cent., term has been used by Britten for rev. 3rd movt. of his pf. conc.

impromptu adv. and sb. XVII. — F. — L. phr. in promptū at hand, in readiness (prōmere; see PROMPT).