The Pianist has finally been ticked off my ever growing list of movies to watch. And I must admit, watching this one with the girls has been an eye opener. The perspective innocent teenagers bring to the table can be quite refreshing, especially when you are feeling a bit jaded.
The Pianist joins the ranks of Valkyrie, Schindler’s List, The Zookeeper’s Wife, Jojo Rabbit and The Reader, some of the Holocaust movies that have left a mark over the years. I must have seen Schindler’s List when I was about 12 or 13 years (just about the same age Cary is now) and the only thing I remember is crying a lot and my father asking me to read The Diary of Anne Frank as if my whole life depended on it. As a parent, I now understand what he was trying to achieve!
Where The Zookeeper’s Wife and The Reader falls flat at times, Jojo Rabbit is exceptionally well made and sharp. The movie is a clear winner when it comes to depicting how easy it is to fall over to the dark side. Not everyone needs to be indoctrinated in a fascist society, most need be just complacent. Valkyrie is not your usual Holocaust movie, yet Tom Cruise is brilliant as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. My only grouse is that the storyline deviates too much from real life events to be even considered a serious contender for the top spot.
Coming back to The Pianist, the title in itself is an understatement. The movie does not try to showcase Szpilman as a Hero, rather a person who managed to barely survive. Roman Polanski, himself a survivor is in his element and effortlessly portrays how being a survivor does not necessarily mean you have won, the pain and hurt of losing your loved ones would be something you would carry to your grave.
I did read up on how Adrian Brody prepared for The Pianist, no wonder he was the youngest actor to receive the Academy Award for Best Actor! I still need to watch Life is Beautiful to complete my list and also re-watch Schindler’s List with the girls. Watching these movies with the girls has made me realize one thing, their heart is in the right place! And when you see The Warsaw Orphan has made it to the girl’s reading list, you try not to tear up. Turns out, I am not that bad at parenting after all!
