To hell and back.
The Pianist is an incredible film in many aspects. Roman Polanski's account of
the survival of the pianist, Wladyslaw Szpilman, is a document about how one
man can overcome the worst possible situations in a world gone completely mad
around him.
The only fault one can find with the adaptation of Mr. Szpilman's story by
playwright Ronald Harwood, is the fact that we never get to know the real
Wladyslaw Szpilman, the man, as some of the comments made to this forum also
have indicated.
There is a very interesting point raised by the the pianist's father who upon
reading something in the paper, comments about how the Americans have
forgotten them. Well, not only the Americans, but the rest of the world would not
raise a finger to do anything for the people that were being imprisoned and made
to live in the confined area of Warsaw. The exterminating camps will come later.
What is amazing in the film, is the frankness in which director Polanski portrays
the duplicity of some Jews in the ghetto. The fact that Jews were used to control
other Jews is mind boggling, but it was a fact, and it's treated here matter of
factly. Had this been made by an American director, this aspect would have never
surfaced at all. Yet, Mr. Polanski and Mr. Harewoo d show us that all was not as
noble and dignified as some other films have treated this ugly side of war.
Wladyslaw Szpilman, as played by Adrien Brody, is puzzling sometimes, in that
we never get to know what's in his mind. He's a man intent in not dying , but he's
not a fighter. He accepts the kindness extended to him. He never offers to do
anything other than keep on hiding, which is a human instinct. He will never fight
side by side with the real heroes of the ghetto uprising. His role is simply to
witness the battle from his vantage point in one of the safe houses across the
street from where the action takes place.
Adrien Brody is an interesting actor to watch. As the pianist of the story he
exudes intelligence. There is a scene where Szpilman, in one of the safe houses
he is taken, discovers an upright piano. One can see the music in his head and he
can't contain himself in moving his fingers outside the closed instrument playing
the glorious music from which he can only imagine what it will sound in his mind.
The supporting cast is excellent. Frank Findlay, a magnificent English actor is the
father of the pianist and Maureen Lipman, another veteran of the stage, plays the
mother with refined dignity.
In watching this film one can only shudder at the thought of another conflict that is
currently brewing in front of our eyes. We wonder if the leaders of the different
factions could be made to sit through a showing of The Pianist to make them
realize that war is hell.