The Pianist Review
by Shannon Patrick Sullivan (shannon AT morgan DOT ucs DOT mun DOT ca)March 6th, 2003
THE PIANIST (2002) / ****
Directed by Roman Polanski. Screenplay by Ronald Harwood, based on the book by Wladyslaw Szpilman. Starring Adrien Brody, Emilia Fox, Thomas Kretschmann. Running time: 148 minutes. Rated AA for controversial subject matter by the MFCB. Reviewed on March 6th, 2003.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
Synopsis: Wladyslaw Szpilman (Brody) is a pianist working for a Polish radio station at the outbreak of World War II. Initially, Szpilman is apathetic about the Nazi occupation of his country, but the oppression of his fellow Jews gradually opens his eyes. "The Pianist" follows Szpilman throughout the War as he flees from the Nazis for his very life -- headlong into an encounter with a Nazi captain and fellow music lover (Kretschmann) with whom his fate is inextricably linked.
Review: One of the truest signs of the monumental historical importance of World War II is the fact that, sixty years later, the images of its horrors have lost little of their potency. The murderous bigotry of the Nazis, made manifest in their attempted genocide of European Jews, is surely the twentieth century's greatest atrocity. "The Pianist" uncompromisingly portrays the evils of the Nazis, demonstrating how the Germans insidiously wormed their way into Polish society. From seemingly incidental declarations -- Jews can't walk in the park or sit on benches -- to the establishment of the Warsaw ghetto, to the inaugural train trips for the concentration camps, the roadmap of Nazi cruelty is painted. But "The Pianist" is not merely a depiction of suffering; it is also a story of survival. Not quite one of heroism, for the fact that Szpilman endured the occupation owes much to luck and the kindness of strangers. But by portraying Szpilman as very much an average person who survives only thanks to a rather extraordinary set of circumstances, "The Pianist" demonstrates how fortunate we are that any Jews made it through World War II. Polanski, a concentration camp survivor, directs this film with consummate care. Images such as a late scene in which Szpilman walks through the ruins of Warsaw are both devastating and utterly indelible.
Copyright © 2003 Shannon Patrick Sullivan.
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