I was moved to tears more than once by the film. One of the great moments was the scene of the Szpilman family boarding the train to the concentration camp. The Jewish cop pulls Szpilman from the line in order to save him, Szpilman's half hearted attempt to reboard and die with his family giving way to the stronger urge of self preservarion. That understated portrayal of his shame was really powerful.
Polanski drew heavilly upon his own war experience: He spent the first 9 years of his life in the Warsaw ghetto. One day while out stealing food to help feed his family he was fingered by a snitch. He fled and took a circuitous route home arriving in time to see the Nazi's hauling his family away. That was the last time he saw his mother and sister. He spent the next few weeks roaming the countryside to the point of collapse. Members of the resistance pulled his sick and half starved body from a pile of maggot infested manure, nursed him to health and basically forced him to fight against the Nazis.
Well, this settles it. There is definitely something wrong with me.
As if this wasn't clear already...
I'd like to retract my complaints against the Pianist and lodge them all and several new, and more biting ones, against City by the Sea. (Don't ask.)
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Polanski drew heavilly upon his own war experience: He spent the first 9 years of his life in the Warsaw ghetto. One day while out stealing food to help feed his family he was fingered by a snitch. He fled and took a circuitous route home arriving in time to see the Nazi's hauling his family away. That was the last time he saw his mother and sister. He spent the next few weeks roaming the countryside to the point of collapse. Members of the resistance pulled his sick and half starved body from a pile of maggot infested manure, nursed him to health and basically forced him to fight against the Nazis.
- steve 3-01-2003 8:18 am
Well, this settles it. There is definitely something wrong with me.
As if this wasn't clear already...
I'd like to retract my complaints against the Pianist and lodge them all and several new, and more biting ones, against City by the Sea. (Don't ask.)
- jim 3-01-2003 5:46 pm [add a comment]