Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Pianist

  • 20022002
  • RR
  • 2h 30m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
806K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
787
81
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Pianist (2002)
Theatrical Trailer from Focus Features
Play trailer1:21
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • Music
A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
806K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
787
81
  • Director
    • Roman Polanski
  • Writers
    • Ronald Harwood(screenplay by)
    • Wladyslaw Szpilman(based on the book by)
  • Stars
    • Adrien Brody
    • Thomas Kretschmann
    • Frank Finlay
Top credits
  • Director
    • Roman Polanski
  • Writers
    • Ronald Harwood(screenplay by)
    • Wladyslaw Szpilman(based on the book by)
  • Stars
    • Adrien Brody
    • Thomas Kretschmann
    • Frank Finlay
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1KUser reviews
    • 141Critic reviews
    • 85Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #33
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 57 wins & 74 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Pianist
    Trailer 1:21
    The Pianist

    Photos202

    Wladyslaw Szpilman in The Pianist (2002)
    Wladyslaw Szpilman in The Pianist (2002)
    Adrien Brody in The Pianist (2002)
    Adrien Brody, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman, Julia Rayner, Ed Stoppard, and Jessica Kate Meyer in The Pianist (2002)
    Roman Polanski and Adrien Brody in The Pianist (2002)
    Roman Polanski in The Pianist (2002)
    Roman Polanski in The Pianist (2002)
    Adrien Brody in The Pianist (2002)
    Roman Polanski in The Pianist (2002)
    Adrien Brody in The Pianist (2002)
    Roman Polanski and Adrien Brody in The Pianist (2002)
    Adrien Brody and Thomas Kretschmann in The Pianist (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Adrien Brody
    Adrien Brody
    • Wladyslaw Szpilmanas Wladyslaw Szpilman
    Thomas Kretschmann
    Thomas Kretschmann
    • Captain Wilm Hosenfeldas Captain Wilm Hosenfeld
    Frank Finlay
    Frank Finlay
    • Fatheras Father
    Emilia Fox
    Emilia Fox
    • Dorotaas Dorota
    Michal Zebrowski
    Michal Zebrowski
    • Jurekas Jurek
    Ed Stoppard
    Ed Stoppard
    • Henrykas Henryk
    Maureen Lipman
    Maureen Lipman
    • Motheras Mother
    Jessica Kate Meyer
    Jessica Kate Meyer
    • Halinaas Halina
    Julia Rayner
    Julia Rayner
    • Reginaas Regina
    Wanja Mues
    Wanja Mues
    • SS Slapping Fatheras SS Slapping Father
    Richard Ridings
    Richard Ridings
    • Mr. Lipaas Mr. Lipa
    Nomi Sharron
    • Feather Womanas Feather Woman
    Anthony Milner
    • Man Waiting to Crossas Man Waiting to Cross
    Lucy Skeaping
    • Street Musicianas Street Musician
    • (as Lucie Skeaping)
    Roddy Skeaping
    • Street Musicianas Street Musician
    Ben Harlan
    • Street Musicianas Street Musician
    Thomas Lawinky
    • Schutzpolizeias Schutzpolizei
    Joachim Paul Assböck
    Joachim Paul Assböck
    • Schutzpolizeias Schutzpolizei
    • Director
      • Roman Polanski
    • Writers
      • Ronald Harwood(screenplay by)
      • Wladyslaw Szpilman(based on the book by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    Life Is Beautiful
    8.6
    Life Is Beautiful
    Schindler's List
    9.0
    Schindler's List
    Léon: The Professional
    8.5
    Léon: The Professional
    The Green Mile
    8.6
    The Green Mile
    Saving Private Ryan
    8.6
    Saving Private Ryan
    The Intouchables
    8.5
    The Intouchables
    American History X
    8.5
    American History X
    The Silence of the Lambs
    8.6
    The Silence of the Lambs
    Forrest Gump
    8.8
    Forrest Gump
    Gladiator
    8.5
    Gladiator
    The Prestige
    8.5
    The Prestige
    Se7en
    8.6
    Se7en

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During the shooting of the movie, while scouting locations in Krakow, Roman Polanski met a man who had helped Polanski's family survive the war.
    • Goofs
      When Szpilman is playing in the closing scenes, the piano's "Steinway & Sons" logo is the style first used in the 1990s.
    • Quotes

      Wladyslaw Szpilman: What are you reading?

      Henryk Szpilman: "If you prick us, do we not bleed? It you tickle us, we we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"

      Wladyslaw Szpilman: [seeing that it is Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice] Very appropriate.

    • Crazy credits
      Aside from the Universal and Focus Features credits, there are no opening credits. All credits, including the title, appear at the end of the film.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Making of 'The Pianist' (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Nocturne in C# Minor, Posthumous
      (1830)

      Written by Frédéric Chopin (as Fryderyk Chopin)

    User reviews1K

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    An astonishing film
    The Pianist is the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, at the time Poland's most acclaimed pianist whose life is transformed during the Nazi occupation of Warsaw beginning in 1939. The film spans several years and maps his many personal trials in addition to providing the perspectives of his family, rebel factions and sympathizers.

    Brilliantly directed by Roman Polanski and starring an amazing Adrien Brody, The Pianist is bound to garner comparisons to Schindler's List, for obvious reasons. However similar the subject matter, the approach is different. While Schindler's List was filmed in a beautiful, crisp black and white that offered many incredible images, The Pianist was filmed with almost muted color. Schindler's List featured what has been argued as a complicated hero. Oskar Schindler did save many Jews, but not without battling his own materialistic demons first. The Pianist's Szpilman is a sympathetic character throughout. His plight was desperate, and the demons he fought were over his own guilt in surviving a fight that eventually turns into a primal will to live.

    Polanski does not spare the viewer any grief with his film. The horrific scenes between the Nazis and the Warsaw Jews were more terrifying and horrible than any horror/suspense movie I have seen in some time, possibly ever. The humiliation and complete loss is wrenching. In several scenes, Jews are lined up in the middle of the night and subjected to either torture or death. In one case, a woman asks of a Nazi officer, "What will happen to us?" and is promptly shot point blank in the head. The camera does not flinch or subdue any of these atrocities.

    A mention must be made of Brody's performance. Having only previously seen Brody in two other films, Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam" and Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" (a part that was supposed to be his launch into stardom before his part was unfortunately cut drastically) I knew his potential was great. After his Oscar win, I viewed this movie with more criticism than I normally would have and he certainly did not disappoint. He transcended my expectations. His physical transformation was amazing, but more importantly, he conveyed the sorrow of this man shockingly well - in both verbal and non-verbal contexts. It will be very interesting to see what kind of opportunities this role will afford him, and the kinds of roles he will accept.

    Something worth mentioning is the affect this movie had on the audience with whom I viewed this film. Normally, when a film ends, the regular hardcore filmsters like myself will stay and watch the credits in their entirety. The rest of the audience stands up and leaves, usually to the chagrin of the remaining enthusiasts. This was one of the few times I have seen a film at a theater where not one person stood to leave during the final credits. It wasn't until the house lights came up at the end did people begin to disperse. Personally, I hightailed it out of the theater the second the lights came on because not only was my face a mess from crying during the film (Tammy Faye comes to mind) but I had this overwhelming need for an emotional release, so when I reached my car I sat and wept for about five minutes. It has been years since I have watched a film that upset me to that extent. Conversely, while discussing this film with my brother, (someone who loves movies as much and has similar tastes as I do) he mentioned that while he thought the movie was excellent, he wasn't as profoundly emotionally effected as I was. After thinking about this for a couple of days, I realized the difference: The music. As a classical music enthusiast and erstwhile musician, the thought of not being able to enjoy, much less play the music you love is a tragic one. Then the emotional outpouring that comes when you return to it - there aren't words to describe how intense that is. Not having the same appreciation for this musical genre, one will be able to sympathize with the physical and emotional tribulations, but perhaps not in the musical sense.

    The Pianist was truly an astonishing film. I was riveted from start to finish and so emotionally affected that I couldn't even consider writing a review until a week later. Having said that, I am filing this away with my list of movies which include Schindlers List and Philadelphia, as films that I love but cannot rewatch for a long time after due to their intensely emotional content.

    --Shelly
    helpful•308
    65
    • FilmOtaku
    • Apr 28, 2003

    FAQ16

    • Is 'The Pianist' based on a book?
    • What song was Szpilman playing when...
    • What is Dorota playing on the cello when Szpilman is hiding in her house?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 28, 2003 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Poland
      • Germany
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Focus Features (United States)
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • German
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Nghệ Sĩ Dương Cầm
    • Filming locations
      • Instalatorów, Ochota, Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland
    • Production companies
      • R.P. Productions
      • Heritage Films
      • Studio Babelsberg
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $32,572,577
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $111,261
      • Dec 29, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $120,072,577
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:14
    The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.