ivari , ▁the ▁ 1 7 2 1 ▁Red ▁M end els so hn , ▁which ▁features ▁a ▁unique ▁red ▁stri pe ▁on ▁its ▁top ▁right ▁side . ▁By ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁film ▁was ▁made , ▁the ▁Red ▁M end els so hn ▁was ▁owned ▁by ▁Elizabeth ▁Pit ca ir n , ▁he ir ess ▁to ▁the ▁P PG ▁fortune , ▁whose ▁grand father ▁purchased ▁it ▁for ▁her ▁ 1 6 th ▁birth day ▁for ▁$ 1 . 7 ▁million ▁at ▁au ction ▁at ▁Christ ie ' s ▁London . ▁Despite ▁rum ours ▁and ▁the ▁film , ▁the ▁Red ▁M end els so hn ▁is ▁var n ished ▁with ▁burg und y ▁rather ▁than ▁blood . ▁Str ad iv arius ▁used ▁red ▁var n ish ▁on ▁numerous ▁other ▁viol ins ▁from ▁ 1 7 0 4 ▁to ▁ 1 7 2 0 , ▁the ▁so - called ▁" g old en ▁period ", ▁and ▁other ▁red - col oured ▁viol ins ▁besides ▁the ▁Red ▁M end els so hn ▁surv ive . ▁ ▁Director ▁François ▁Gir ard ▁opt ed ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁film ▁about ▁a ▁viol in ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁belief ▁that ▁" M aking ▁film ▁is ▁making ▁music ". ▁The ▁concept ▁of ▁a ▁history ▁of ▁a ▁viol in ▁was ▁the ▁starting ▁point , ▁with ▁Gir ard ▁not ▁initially ▁real izing ▁the ▁project ▁would ▁call ▁for ▁five ▁languages ▁or ▁an ▁unus ually ▁large ▁budget . ▁His ▁screen play , ▁written ▁with ▁Don ▁McK ell ar , ▁sees ▁the ▁e pon ym ous ▁instrument