Immortal Beloved goofs

In the film, Beethoven bribes Chancellor Metternich to obtain custody of Karl von Beethoven after his brother's death, promising to compose for Austria at the Congress of Vienna. Metternich did not become Austrian Chancellor until 1821; the Congress of Vienna concluded in June 1815, the custody dispute began shortly after Beethoven's brother died in November 1815 — several months after the Congress — and the case had been completely resolved by 1820, before Metternich assumed the chancellorship.

Beethoven plays Für Elise for his nephew Karl, wrapping his arms around Karl's body as Karl sits at the piano. In that position Beethoven cannot possibly reach the sustain pedal, yet the rendition we hear is properly pedalled. Karl is not skilled enough to pedal for himself, let alone for another performer, so he was not doing the pedalling.

The film's producers took great pains to ensure that authentic late Classical era pianos were used on set, yet the music purportedly emanating from them is unmistakably that of a 20th-century instrument.

When Countess Erdödy's residence is struck during Napoleon's bombardment of Vienna, her son is hurled by the blast before it actually strikes.

Early in the film, after her bath, she remarks, "We had been invited to Prince Vichnoski's palace for an evening of music. Beethoven was to be there." In the next shot, as the horses draw near the palace, the film crew's shadow can be seen on the horses.

In his will, Beethoven did not bequeath his estate to his 'Immortal Beloved'.

At his first public recital Ludwig was eight years old (some sources put him at seven); his father, however, billed him as six. The film, via a voice-over, nevertheless claims that Ludwig was "12 and his father told the court he was nine".

The grave depicted at the film’s conclusion is neither Beethoven's 1827 grave at the Währing cemetery nor the 1888 version when his remains were transferred to the Zentralfriedhof. It resembles those monuments, but it lacks the gilded harp emblem on the obelisk’s centre near the top — a serpent symbol of eternity encircling a butterfly.

The film portrays Beethoven as being deaf for much of his life, even in his youth. In fact, he retained some hearing until approximately 1818, when he became almost entirely deaf.

In one scene of the film, Beethoven attempts to perform the Emperor Concerto but, because of his deafness, couldn't manage it; the modest audience greets this with laughter, jeers and catcalls, prompting him and his girlfriend to leave. In reality, audiences in Beethoven's day never laughed or jeered at him; had such an incident occurred, they would simply have fallen deathly silent with sorrow.

Contrary to the way the film depicts it, Beethoven did not sign over guardianship of Karl to his mother on his deathbed. Instead, following Beethoven's death in 1827, the underage Karl was placed with his mother's relative, Jakob Hotschevar, who, like Beethoven, was noted for his pronounced antipathy towards Johanna.

The film presented Beethoven's father as a drunken, boorish child-beater. In reality, Beethoven's father was a respected musician in his own right.

Near the film's conclusion, the main character is shown conversing with a woman who at times speaks in a low voice so as not to be overheard. This is somewhat implausible, however, since by the time of the events connected with the Immortal Beloved letter (the letter is dated 1812), Beethoven had already suffered considerable hearing loss. Nevertheless, the composer carries on the conversation as if he were not hard of hearing.