The Pianist opens in 1939 Warsaw, shortly after Poland's defeat to Germany. The film's protagonist is celebrated Jewish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), who, along with his family, is forced to watch as the restrictions against Jews become increasingly more odious. Initially, Jews are forbidden from eating in certain establishments, walking in public parks, or sitting on public benches. Soon, they must wear distinguishing armbands, bow to Nazis passed in the streets, and walk in the gutters. Eventually, all Jews in Warsaw - approximately 1/2 million - are moved into a ghetto, where whole families are crammed into single rooms. After the Nazis begin implementing the "Final Solution," most of the Jews in Warsaw are shipped to the concentration camp to be exterminated. Only those capable of labor remain behind. Wladyslaw is separated from his family as this point. He remains behind as part of the work force, while his family is herded into a cattle car. Eventually, with the help of the underground, Wladyslaw escapes into hiding, where he begins a battle with starvation, disease, and cold until the arrival of the Soviets.
Adrien Brody is the principal actor and has the majority of the screen time. He enacts a forceful portrayal of Wladyslaw and this represents one of the year's best male performances. Brody starts the film as a cultured, intelligent Jew, but, by the time the film has entered its final act, he resembles a cave man. His speech has been reduced to grunts, his shaggy hair and gaunt appearance recall images of those dying in the not-so-distant extermination camps, and his goal of survival has devolved to two things: a hunt for food and a flight from predators (Nazis)
Recognizing that The Pianist is a true story adds another layer to its impact. However, it is Roman Polanski's mastery that makes this movie unforgettable. While The Pianist has a strong, clear narrative, the directory uses music and images to emblazon Wladyslaw's struggle on our memories. No one who has seen this film will forget the staggering sight of the main character limping down the blasted, bombed-out streets of Warsaw, with twisted, half-destroyed buildings lining the streets and no sigh of life. The impromptu "concert" he gives for a Nazi officer, Captain Wilm Hosenfeld (Thomas Kretschmann), is an equal standout, as music transforms (if only for a moment) the bestial-looking Wladyslaw into a magician with music. The movie ends on the perfect bittersweet note - life and hope have returned, but no aspect of the future will remain untouched by the past.
Porculus