The Piano (1993)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Jane Campion

Writer:

Jane Campion (written by)

Release Date:

12 November 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A mute woman along with her young daughter, and her prized piano, are sent to 1850s New Zealand for an arranged marriage to a wealthy landowner, and she's soon lusted after by a local worker on the plantation.

Plot Keywords:

Piano | New Zealand | Arranged Marriage | Mute | 1850s

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 54 wins & 25 nominations

Cast

Holly Hunter	...	Ada McGrath
Harvey Keitel	...	George Baines
Sam Neill	...	Alisdair Stewart
Anna Paquin	...	Flora McGrath
Kerry Walker	...	Aunt Morag
Geneviève Lemon	...	Nessie (as Genevieve Lemon)
Tungia Baker	...	Hira
Ian Mune	...	Reverend
Peter Dennett	...	Head Seaman
Te Whatanui Skipwith	...	Chief Nihe
Pete Smith	...	Hone
Bruce Allpress	...	Blind Piano Tuner
Cliff Curtis	...	Mana
Carla Rupuha	...	Heni - Mission Girl
Mahina Tunui	...	Mere - Mission Girl
Hori Ahipene	...	Mutu
Gordon Hatfield	...	Te Kori
Mere Boynton	...	Chief Nihe's Daughter
Kirsten Batley	...	Marama
Tania Burney	...	Mahina
Annie Edwards	...	Te Tiwha
Harina Haare	...	Roimata - Angel
Christina Harimate	...	Parearau
Steve Kanuta	...	Amohia
P.J. Karauria	...	Taua
Sonny Kirikiri	...	Tame
Alain Makiha	...	Kahutia
Greg Mayor	...	Tipi
Neil Mika Gudsell	...	Tahu
Guy Moana	...	Kohuru
Joseph Otimi	...	Rehia
Glynis Paraha	...	Mairangi
Riki Pickering	...	Rongo
Eru Potaka-Dewes	...	Pitama
Liane Rangi Henry	...	Te Ao
Huihana Rewa	...	Te Hikumutu
Tamati Rice	...	Pito
Paora Sharples	...	Hotu
George Smallman	...	Tuu
Kereama Teua	...	Te Kukuni
Poamo Tuialii	...	Kahu
Susan Tuialii	...	Pare
Kahumanu Waake	...	Waimiria (as Kahumanu Waaka)
Lawrence Wharerau	...	Kamira
Eddie Campbell	...	Seaman
Roger Goodburn	...	Seaman
Stephen Hall	...	Seaman
Greg Johnson	...	Seaman
Wayne McGoram	...	Seaman
Jon Brazier	...	Wedding Photographer
Stephen Papps	...	Bluebeard
Nicola Baigent	...	Bluebeard's Wife - Sunday School Teacher
Ruby Codner	...	Bluebeard's Wife
Karen Colston	...	Bluebeard's Wife
Verity George	...	Bluebeard's Wife
Julie Steele	...	Bluebeard's Wife
Timothy Raby	...	Taunting Man (as Tim Raby)
Jon Sperry	...	Taunting Man
Isobel Dryburgh	...	Angel
Claire Lourie	...	Angel
Rose McIver	...	Angel
Amber Main	...	Angel
Rachael Main	...	Angel
Sean Abraham	...	Cloud Carrier Boy
Tomas Dryburgh	...	Cloud Carrier Boy
Simon Knight-Jones	...	Cloud Carrier Boy
Julian Lee	...	Cloud Carrier Boy
Daniel Lunn	...	Cloud Carrier Boy
Barbara Grover	...	School Hall Piano Player
Arthur Ranford	...	School Hall Violin Player
Rob Ellis	...	Young Wives Husband
Terrence Garbolino	...	Young Wives Husband
William Matthew	...	Young Wives Husband
Nancy Flyger	...	Maid
George Boyle	...	Flora's Grandfather
Jason Aranui	...	Waka Crewman
Thomas Crowe	...	Waka Crewman
Shane Howell	...	Waka Crewman
Sam Ingley	...	Waka Crewman
Lance Kahukiwa	...	Waka Crewman
Graham Kereama Barrett	...	Waka Crewman
Wayne Kingi	...	Waka Crewman
Lucas Puhi Thompson	...	Waka Crewman
Peter Rangitaawa	...	Waka Crewman
Joseph Samuel	...	Waka Crewman
Thomas Searancke	...	Waka Crewman
Philip Taiaho Heke	...	Waka Crewman
George Te Huia	...	Waka Crewman
Alfred Tiaki Hotu	...	Waka Crewman
Flynn the Dog	...	Baines' Dog 'Flynn' (as Flynn)

Directed by
Jane Campion

Writing credits
Jane Campion		(written by)

Produced by
Jan Chapman	....	producer
Alain Depardieu	....	executive producer
Mark Turnbull	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Michael Nyman

Cinematography by
Stuart Dryburgh

Film Editing by
Veronika Jenet

Production Design by
Andrew McAlpine

Art Direction by
Gregory P. Keen		(supervising art director) (as Gregory Keen)

Set Decoration by
Meryl Cronin

Costume Design by
Janet Patterson

Makeup Department
Stuart Conran	....	prosthetics makeup assistant
Eithne Curran	....	assistant hair stylist
Marjory Hamlin	....	makeup artist
Marjory Hamlin	....	prosthetics makeup artist
Deirdre Haworth	....	assistant hair stylist
Clifford Hughes	....	prosthetics makeup assistant
Katherine James	....	makeup artist: Holly Hunter (as Kathrine James)
Bob McCarron	....	prosthetics supervisor
Michelle Page	....	assistant hair stylist
Stephen Price	....	hair consultant
Francia Smeets	....	hair stylist
Francia Smeets	....	makeup artist
Noriko Watanabe	....	hair styles supervisor
Noriko Watanabe	....	hair stylist: Holly Hunter
Noriko Watanabe	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Stephen O'Rourke	....	post-production supervisor
Chloe Smith	....	production manager
John Wilson	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Colin Englert	....	second unit director
Victoria Hardy	....	second assistant director
Charlie Haskell	....	second second assistant director (as Charles Haskell)
Therese Mangos	....	third assistant director
Simon Millar	....	third assistant director: studio
Chris Short	....	first assistant director: second unit
Mark Turnbull	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Graham Aston	....	carpenter
Graham Aston	....	set dresser
Peter Brown	....	carpenter
Ian Chisnall	....	construction laborer
Neil Cromie	....	carpenter
Mark Daniell	....	property maker
Barry Ellery	....	scenic artist
Rees Fox	....	art department runner
Jackie Gilmore	....	assistant art director
Matthew Gordon	....	carpenter
Mark Grenfell	....	property buyer
Neil Henson	....	casual draughtsman
Trevor Lithgow	....	scenic artist
Mike Maxwell	....	carpenter
Lyndsay Meager	....	props stand-by
John Miles	....	construction manager
Amanda Molloy	....	greensperson
Ken Muggleston	....	art department contact: Sidney
Russell Munro	....	carpenter
Tim Murton	....	head scenic artist
Iain 'Horace' Newton	....	carpenter
Nik Novis	....	carpenter
Phred Palmer	....	set dresser
Scott Russell	....	painter
Bob Schmidt	....	carpenter
Willy Schmidt	....	carpenter
Kirsten Shouler	....	art department coordinator
Manu Sinclair	....	set dresser
Georg Stumpf	....	carpenter
Michael Sudholter	....	carpenter
Piripi Taratoa	....	props stand-by
Inia Taylor	....	painter
Trevor Tutte	....	carpenter
John Williams	....	property maker
Alan Wilson	....	carpenter
Paul Worley	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Steve Burgess	....	foley artist
Jeanine Chiavlo	....	dialogue editor (as Jeanine Chialvo)
Gethin Creagh	....	sound mixer
Robert Deschaine	....	adr re-recordist
Simon Hewitt	....	adr re-recordist (as Simon Hewett)
Richard Jenkins	....	adr re-recordist
David Jobe	....	adr re-recordist
Tony Johnson	....	sound recordist
Gerry Long	....	foley artist
Jamie Luker	....	assistant sound engineer
Gary O'Grady	....	dialogue editor
Axel Paton	....	boom operator (as Alexander Paton)
Annabelle Sheehan	....	supervising adr editor
Lee Smith	....	sound designer
Peter Townend	....	sound effects editor
Libby Villa	....	assistant sound editor
Kimberly Walls	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Jason Docherty	....	special effects assistant
Jason Durey	....	special effects assistant
Ken Durey	....	special effects coordinator
Kent Miklenda	....	underwater special effects assistant
Waynne Rugg	....	special effects coordinator
Arthur Spink Jr.	....	underwater special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Roger Cowland	....	opticals

Stunts
Robert Bruce	....	fight/stunt coordinator
Sue Easdon	....	stunt double: Ada
Georgina Gilbert	....	stunt double: Ada
Steve Griffin	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Archibald	....	lighting electrician
Alun Bollinger	....	camera operator
David Dunkley	....	underwater assistant camera
Annie Frear	....	grip: second unit
Josie Harbutt	....	assistant camera: second unit
Josie Harbutt	....	assistant clapper loader
Rewa Harre	....	camera operator: second unit
Rob Hunter	....	underwater photographer
Geoff Jamieson	....	key grip
Ian Jones	....	Steadicam operator: location
Don Jowsey	....	gaffer
John Mahaffie	....	Steadicam operator: studio
Rob Marsh	....	second assistant camera
Grant Matthews	....	still photographer
Cameron McLean	....	first assistant camera
Erin O'Leary	....	assistant grip
Sean O'Neill	....	assistant grip
Sean O'Neill	....	studio lighting assistant
Tad Pride	....	rigging coordinator
Kevin Riley	....	gaffer: second unit
Ed Sims	....	generator operator
Phillip Skelton	....	third assistant camera
Polly Walker	....	still photographer
Bruce Williamson	....	grip (as Bruce Williamson 'Will')

Casting Department
Alison Barrett	....	casting: Australia
Robyn Cammell	....	assistant to casting director: New Zealand
Susie Figgis	....	casting: UK
Diana Rowan	....	casting: New Zealand
Victoria Thomas	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rosy Boylan	....	milliner
Wendy Chuck	....	costume cutter
Barbara Darragh	....	wardrobe coordinator
Chris Elliott	....	stand-by wardrobe
Sue Gandy	....	wardrobe assistant
Rosemary Gough	....	machinist
Marian Hera	....	wardrobe assistant
Jane Holland	....	stand-by wardrobe
Maria Inglis	....	costume cutter
Liz McGregor	....	wardrobe assistant
Perrin McLeod	....	costume cutter
Jodie Morrison	....	cobbler
Marian Olsen	....	costume cutter
Jaindra Watson	....	handstitcher
Joaquin Zepeda	....	jeweller
Wendy Chuck	....	assistant to costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Arthur Cambridge	....	color grader
Claire Corbett	....	second assistant editor
Heidi Kenessey	....	first assistant editor
Tamsin O'Rourke	....	trainee assistant editor
Karen Psaltis	....	negative matcher
Nicola Smith	....	second assistant editor
Rob Sciarratta	....	video color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Michael J. Dutton	....	music recording engineer
Andrew Findon	....	musician: saxophone
John Harle	....	musician: saxophone
Holly Hunter	....	musician: piano solos
Michael Nyman	....	conductor
Daniel Brock	....	music production supervisor (uncredited)
Malcolm Luker	....	orchestra scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Darlene Allen	....	sign language instructor: Ada
Christina Andreef	....	assistant to director
Mark Asaia	....	diver
Mark Askew	....	catering assistant
Mark Askew	....	location security
Christine Bainbridge	....	machinist
Margie Balter	....	piano instructor: Ada
Nik Beachman	....	stand-in: Stewart
Anne Berriman	....	assistant to director: post-production
Miro Bilbrough	....	production notes
Sue-Ellen Boag	....	catering assistant
Robert Bruce	....	safety officer
Tanya Burroughs	....	additional stand-in
Eddie Campbell	....	dialect coach: Flora
Eddie Campbell	....	stand-in: Baines
Nathalie Celie	....	interpreter
Joanne Court	....	legal representative
Belinda Crayford	....	best person
Lynn-Maree Danzey	....	assistant to director: post-production
Lynn-Maree Danzey	....	continuity
Helen De Groot	....	assistant accountant
Justin Huege de Serville	....	casual production runner
David Donaldson	....	lab liaison: New Zealand
Ken Durey	....	boat services coordinator
Colin Englert	....	media kit director
Colin Englert	....	researcher
Leonard Fischer	....	diver
Cushla Foley	....	production runner
Susie Gibbs	....	production secretary
Karen Gleave	....	production assistant
Moira Grant	....	production coordinator
Zo Hartley	....	stand-in: Ada
Lee-Anne Higgins	....	assistant to producer
Garth Hodgetts	....	location liaison: Matakana
Holly Hunter	....	sign language instructor: Flora
David Jenkin	....	piano tuner
Judy Jones	....	piano instructor: Flora
Cynthia Kelly	....	post-production accountant
Alan Lio	....	production runner
Peter Long	....	researcher
Peter Long	....	title designer
Malcolm Luker	....	technical engineer
Keith MacKenzie	....	production accountant
Wendy MacKereth	....	unit nurse
Billy MacKinnon	....	script editor
Bruce McArthur	....	lab liaison: New Zealand
Kenneth McGregor	....	assistant: Harvey Keitel
Anna McMurtry	....	assistant accountant
Carla Meyer	....	dialect coach: Ada
Simon Millar	....	unit assistant
Tony Monk	....	helicopter pilot
Richard Moore	....	diver
Temuera Morrison	....	language advisor/maori cast
Selwyn Muru	....	Maori dialog and advisor
Charles Neho	....	rope maker
Iain 'Horace' Newton	....	wrangler
Stephen O'Rourke	....	post-production accountant
Gena Pioro	....	dialect coach: "The Aunts"
Nina Powierza	....	additional stand-in
Tad Pride	....	underwater special effects
Patricia Quirke	....	tutor and chaperone: Flora
Amanda Rees	....	casual chaperone
Ken Robertson	....	catering assistant
Mary-Anne Schultz	....	choreographer
Sally Sherratt	....	location manager
Waihoroi Shortland	....	Maori dialog and advisor
Shelley Simpson	....	stand-in: Flora
Barbara Sims	....	casual unit nurse
Sue Smith	....	assistant: Jan Chapman
Sigi Spath Jr.	....	best person
Jon Sperry	....	dialect coach: Baines
Rachel Stace	....	unit publicist
Colin Sutherland	....	caterer
Tony Thew	....	dive coordinator
Peter Thompson	....	legal representative
Andrew Veale	....	medic: underwater shoot
Mark Vette	....	dog handler
Peter Ward	....	unit assistant
Stephen Wernick	....	personal trainer: Harvey Keitel
Alan Whear	....	piano replica
Denise Wolfson	....	lab liaison: Australia

Production Companies

• Australian Film Commission, The
• CiBy 2000
• Jan Chapman Productions
• New South Wales Film & Television Office

Distributors

• Miramax Films (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Buena Vista International (Sweden) (1993) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Shibata Organisation (1993) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1993) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Cinemussy (Spain)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paris Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Transmundo Films (Argentina)
• Transmundo Home Video (THV) (Argentina) (video)

Other Companies

• Arco Studios  music recorded at
• Flying Trestles  catering
• Optical & Graphics  graphics
• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

La leçon de piano (France)
Pleasure (Australia) (working title)
The Black Keys (Australia) (working title)
The Piano Lesson (Australia) (original script title)

MPAA:

Rated R for moments of extremely graphic sexuality.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

Australia | New Zealand | France

Language:

English | British Sign Language | Maori

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:L | Brazil:16 | Philippines:R-18 | France:U | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:III | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Malaysia:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company:

Australian Film Commission, The

Trivia:

Jane Campion became the first woman to win the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival with this film, though she was unable to receive the award in person as she was due to give birth.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the boat leaves the island, Ada trails her hand in the water, which is still and calm. On long shots, it is foaming from the action of the oars, and the boat on the water.

Quotes:

Ada: The voice you hear is not my speaking voice---but my mind's voice. I have not spoken since I was six years old. No one knows why---not even me. My father says it is a dark talent, and the day I take it into my head to stop breathing will be my last. Today he married me to a man I have not yet met...

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Critic: I Can't Believe It's a Clip Show (#2.10)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

The Grand Old Duke of York

Quite vivid

Jane Campion is a director of quiet unease. I was not a big admirer of her "Angel At My Table", which had enormous possibilities but was suffocated under the filmmaker's penchant for what I refer to as 'ugly beauty'. Even the beautiful passages in this film are undermined by either something ghastly, something about to become ghastly, or something borne from ghastliness. A New Zealand woman in the 1800's becomes a mail-order bride for an uninterested working man; she's a self-elected mute and communicates through her wizened little daughter (Oscar-winner Anna Pacquin, a bit over-the-top) and through her passion for playing the piano, which becomes a point of contention in her marriage. Engrossing human drama with a torrid undercurrent of sexuality and violence. Many people I've talked to about this film could not get with it, but perhaps that's the fault of watching movies at home. In the theater, this was a slightly-dazed, rapturous and enveloping brew that held me spellbound until the lights went up. Movies like this don't hold the same spell when butchered up by ads for the CBS comedies. Holly Hunter, Sam Neill and, most especially, Harvey Keitel do terrific work. Hunter deservedly won a Best Actress Oscar. ***1/2 from ****