Sophie's Choice (1982)

Director:

Alan J. Pakula

Writers:

William Styron (novel)
Alan J. Pakula (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 December 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Between the innocent, the romantic, the sensual, and the unthinkable. There are still some things we have yet to imagine.

Plot:

Sophie is the survivor of Nazi concentration camps, who has found a reason to live in Nathan, a sparkling...

Plot Keywords:

New York City | Writer | Holocaust | Concentration Camp | Nazi

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 12 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Meryl Streep	...	Sophie
Kevin Kline	...	Nathan
Peter MacNicol	...	Stingo
Rita Karin	...	Yetta
Stephen D. Newman	...	Larry
Greta Turken	...	Leslie Lapidus
Josh Mostel	...	Morris Fink
Marcell Rosenblatt	...	Astrid Weinstein
Moishe Rosenfeld	...	Moishe Rosenblum
Robin Bartlett	...	Lillian Grossman
Eugene Lipinski	...	Polish Professor
John Rothman	...	Librarian
Joseph Leon	...	Dr. Blackstock
David Wohl	...	English Teacher
Nina Polan	...	Woman in English Class
Alexander Sirotin	...	Man #1 in English Class
Armand Dahan	...	Man #2 in English Class
Joseph Tobin	...	Reporter
Cortez Nance	...	Bellboy
Günther Maria Halmer	...	Rudolf Hoess (as Gunther Maria Halmer)
Karlheinz Hackl	...	SS Doctor
Ulli Fessl	...	Frau Hoess
Melanie Pianka	...	Emmi Hoess
Eugeniusz Priwieziencew	...	Prisoner at Shower
Krystyna Karkowska	...	Prisoner-Housekeeper
Katharina Thalbach	...	Wanda
Nedim Prohic	...	Josef (as Neddim Prohic)
Jennifer Lawn	...	Sophie's Child
Adrian Kalitka	...	Sophie's Child
Peter Wegenbreth	...	Hoess' Aide
Vida Jerman	...	Female SS Guard
Irena Hampel	...	German Child
Sandra Markota	...	German Child
Hrvoje Sostaric	...	German Child
Marko Zec	...	German Child
Ivica Pajer	...	Sophie's Father (as Ivo Pajer)
Michaela Karacic	...	Sophie as a Child
Josef Sommer	...	Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bobby DeAngelo	...	NYPD Photograper (uncredited)

Directed by
Alan J. Pakula

Writing credits
William Styron		(novel "Sophie's Choice")
Alan J. Pakula		(screenplay)

Produced by
Keith Barish	....	producer
William C. Gerrity	....	associate producer
Alan J. Pakula	....	producer
Martin Starger	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
Néstor Almendros		(director of photography) (as Nestor Almendros)

Film Editing by
Evan A. Lottman		(as Evan Lottman)

Casting by
Alixe Gordin

Production Design by
George Jenkins

Art Direction by
John Jay Moore		(as John J. Moore)

Set Decoration by
Carol Joffe

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Frank Bianco	....	hair stylist
J. Roy Helland	....	hair stylist: Miss Streep
J. Roy Helland	....	makeup artist: Miss Streep
Mike Maggi	....	makeup artist
Halid Redzebasic	....	hair stylist: Yugoslavia
Halid Redzebasic	....	makeup artist: Yugoslavia

Production Management
Howard P. Alston	....	executive in charge of production
Christopher Cronyn	....	assistant production manager
Boris Dmitrovic	....	assistant production manager: Yugoslavia (as Boris Dimitrovic)
William C. Gerrity	....	unit production manager
Branko Lustig	....	production supervisor: Yugoslavia
Ivica Petricevic	....	unit manager: Yugoslavia
James Potter	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michea Caye	....	dga trainee
Alex Hapsas	....	first assistant director
Sergio Mimica-Gezzan	....	assistant director: Yugoslavia (as Sergio Mimica)
Joseph Ray	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Russell Christian	....	assistant art director
Howard Duff	....	assistant property master
Glen Engels	....	construction grip
Pete Grippaldi	....	construction grip
Zeljko Karacic	....	propman on set: Yugoslavia
Ivo Lepes	....	construction manager: Yugoslavia
Zeljko Luter	....	set dresser: Yugoslavia
Ron Petagna	....	shop craftsman
Eugene Powell	....	scenic artist chargeman (as Gene Powell)
Richard Shelton	....	scenic artist
Walter Stocklin	....	property master (as Wally Stocklin)
Hans Swanson	....	set dresser
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Debra Bard	....	apprentice sound editor
Arthur Bloom	....	sound recordist
Stan Bochner	....	sound editor
Anthony J. Ciccolini III	....	supervising sound editor (as Anthony John Ciccolini III)
Marko A. Costanzo	....	apprentice sound editor
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jay Dranch	....	sound editor
Harriet Fidlow	....	looping editor
Leslie Gaulin	....	assistant adr editor (as Leslie Troy Gaulin)
Thomas A. Gulino	....	sound editor (as Thomas Gulino)
Robert Hein	....	sound editor (as Robert A. Hein)
Michael Jacobi	....	sound editor
Stuart Lieberman	....	assistant sound editor
Dennis Maitland II	....	boom operator
Patrick Mullins	....	assistant sound editor
John Murray	....	apprentice sound editor
Christopher Newman	....	production sound mixer
Bitty O'Sullivan-Smith	....	assistant sound editor (as Bitty O'Sullivan Smith)
Ralph O. Sepulveda Jr.	....	apprentice sound editor (as Ralph Sepulveda Jr.)
Ann Stein	....	assistant sound editor (as Anne Stein)
Brunilda Torres	....	assistant sound editor
Magdaline Volaitis	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Marijan Karoglan	....	pyrotechnician: Yugoslavia unit (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jerry DeBlau	....	best boy (as Jerry De Blau)
John W. DeBlau	....	gaffer (as John De Blau)
Bill Gerardo	....	second assistant camera
Vinnie Gerardo	....	first assistant camera (as Vinny Gerardo)
Dan Lerner	....	second camera operator
Edward W. Lowry	....	second key grip (as Edward Lowry)
Tom Prate	....	key grip (as Thomas J. Prate Jr.)
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	camera operator (as Tom Priestly Jr.)
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer
Tom Kerwick	....	grip (uncredited)
Sal Martorano	....	electrician (uncredited)
Lance Shepherd	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Judy Dennis	....	assistant to casting executive
Riccardo Bertoni	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Dennison	....	wardrobe supervisor: men's
David Griffin	....	assistant costume designer
Teresa Alba Schipani	....	wardrobe supervisor: women's (as Alba Schipani)
Juraj Skuzin	....	wardrobe master: Yugoslavia
Mark Burchard	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ursula Schrader	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Marissa De Guzman	....	apprentice editor (as Marissa de Guzman)
Elaine Hurwitz	....	assistant editor
Andrea Justin	....	apprentice editor
Gary Karr	....	first assistant editor
Gilberto Costa Nunes	....	apprentice editor
Jill Savitt	....	first assistant editor
Trudy Ship	....	associate film editor

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Norman Hollyn	....	music editor
Emily Paine	....	assistant music editor

Transportation Department
Tom O'Brien	....	transportation captain
Thomas Reilly	....	transportation co-captain (as Tom Reilly)
Patrick Hogan	....	transportation captain: second unit (uncredited)

Other crew
Jan Biczycki	....	dialogue coach: Polish and German, Yugoslavia (as Jan Byczycki)
Celia D. Costas	....	location manager (as Celia Costas)
Richard Dixon	....	production auditor (as Dick Dixon)
Christopher T. Gerrity	....	production assistant (as Christopher Gerrity)
Kitty Hart	....	technical advisor: Europe
Roman Harte	....	consultant: Europe
Dragan Josipovic	....	location manager: Yugoslavia
Marge Leonard	....	executive assistant: Mr. Pakula
Lillian O. MacNeill	....	script supervisor
John Jay Moore	....	location coordinator: U.S. (as John J. Moore)
Eric Myers	....	unit publicist
Nathalie Plemiannikov	....	production assistant
Michele Mooberry Potier	....	assistant production office coordinator (as Michele Mooberry)
Ljiljana Rajic	....	assistant: Mr. Wolsky, Yugoslavia (as Ljiljana Raic)
Roberta Rose	....	location auditor: Yugoslavia
Raoul Schelbaum	....	subtitles: Titra Film New York Inc.
Susan Solt	....	coordinator: Mr. Pakula
Juliette Steyning-Brown	....	production office coordinator
Sandra J. Tait	....	production assistant (as Sandy Tait)
Jane Tsighis	....	assistant production auditor
Earl E. Wroten Jr.	....	production executive
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Lew Grade	....	presenter (uncredited)

Thanks
Nancy Littlefield	....	special thanks: New York City Mayor's Office for Film, Theatre and Broadcasting
Jesse Peterman	....	special thanks: New York City Tactical Police Unit (as Lt. Jesse Peterman)

Production Companies

• Incorporated Television Company (ITC) (presents) (as IFC Entertainment)
• Keith Barish Productions (as a Keith Barish Production)

Distributors

• CBS/Fox Video (1984) (Belgium) (video)
• CBS/Fox (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS Television Network (1986) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Maple Pictures (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Canada (1982) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Associated Film Distribution (AFD)
• Editora Europa (Brazil) (DVD)
• Pioneer Entertainment (1997) (USA) (video) (LaserDisc)
• PolyGram Television (1995-1998) (worldwide) (all media)
• Universal Pictures
• Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Bronx Community College  special thanks to
• Camera Mart  stage facilities and production equipment (as Camera Mart - New York)
• Clein & Feldman Associates  publicity (as Clein + Feldman, Inc.)
• Computer Opticals  titles and opticals (as Computer Opticals, Inc.)
• Flatbush Development  special thanks to (as Flatbush Development Corporation, Brooklyn, New York)
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  logo (as IATSE)
• Jadran Film  cooperation: location shooting in Yugoslavia with the (as Jadran Film, Zagreb)
• Navarro-Bertoni Casting  extras casting (as Navarro-Bertoni)
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  special thanks to (as New Yotk City Mayor's Office for Film, Theatre and Broadcasting)
• New York City Tactical Police Unit  special thanks to
• Photomagnetic Sound Studios  sound (as Photo Magnetic Sound Studios, Inc.)
• Titra Film New York  subtitles (as Titra Film New York, Inc.)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

150 min | Canada:157 min (Ontario)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Polish | German | French | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (PCA #26835) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Australia:M | Germany:16 | Iceland:12 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Peru:14 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked this as the #91 Greatest Movie of All Time. It was the first inclusion of this film on the list.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In one of the early scenes when Stingo is moving in he is carrying 3 cases of Spam on his shoulder. They barely move despite him writhing around to get the door open. When he gets into the room he drops them on the bed and you can clearly see most of the cans are glued to the cardboard. The actor even flips the top row over on the bed and they stay attached.

Quotes:

Sophie:[after having taken a sip of the wine that Nathan has poured for her] Mmm. You know, when you... when you live a good life... like a saint... and then you die, that must be what they make you to drink in paradise.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Happily Divorced: I Wanna Be Alone (#1.6)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Symphony No 9 in D Minor: Choral

Sad, joyous and depressing at the same time!

We, who we never were forced to witness such inhumanity and terror as those who survived the Holocaust, can probably never quite capture what it meant and indescribable it must have been. Director Alan J. Pakula tried with this film to bring us the despair closer, as we witness the struggle of a woman to survive and how she cannot live with her decisions.

Sophies story is told by Stingo (a very young Peter MacNicol), a writer, who moves to New York and befriends quickly his new neighbors Nathan (Kevin Kline) and Sophie (Meryl Streep). Sophie survived Ausschwitz, drinks to much and is completely dedicated to Nathan, who now and then gets terrible moods. They all become good friends, but while Nathan seems to go deeper and deeper into madness Sophie tells Stingo from time to time parts of her story, how she survived and what a terrible choice she had to make.

I wont reveal what the choice is, but for me it was one of most chilling moments I've ever seen on film. It's revealed very late in the movie, at a time where we already root for Sophie, despite being a rather naive and weak character, but we care so much for her it's like it happened to ourselves.

Though MacNicol and Kline are both flawless in their respective parts, the movie is dominated by Meryl Streep, who demands attention in every scene she's in (and is exquisitely photographed by cinematographer Nestor Almendros). She's funny (the movie, despite the bleak and depressing story, is quite joyous), exhilarating, beautiful, but at the same time she always seems to be sad, like a cloud it's hanging over her head.

The end of the movie, however sad it is, is not at all depressing, because somehow we felt throughout the whole movie, that Sophie was doomed from the start, that there was no other solution than this and that it's probably more peaceful for her than to go on and on.