Fairaher
The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
Hayden Kane
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Mandeep Tyson
The acting in this movie is really good.
Michael Neumann
Shirley Maclaine portrays an aging piano tutor with some very strict ideas about the purity of her service and the pitfalls of ambition, in an original coming-of-age drama set against the highbrow world of classical music instruction. As an eccentric (what else?) Russian émigré in an offbeat London household, Maclaine plays the role of a fussy perfectionist to perfection, showering her naive new pupil (a gifted Anglo-Indian prodigy with more talent than wisdom) with stern maternal affection, and guarding him against the crass, commercial ambitions of his mother. Not even the clumsy expository flashbacks or a romantic subplot involving Twiggy can dim the luster of Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's perceptive screenplay, which in between selections from Beethoven and Chopin explores the widening gap between art and commerce, in both music and life. Director John Schlesinger doesn't need to add much more than a series of slow camera pans over candle-lit rooms, but he manages to generate more tension than otherwise might be expected from the piano recital climax, during which the young student is forced to choose between a lifelong vocation and a lucrative career.
Kate_Bornstein
Shirley MacLaine's Golden Globe winning performance was matched by India's gorgeous star actress, Shabana Azmi's as Sushila Sen. MacLaine's part is that of a reputably in high demand local piano teacher who takes younger piano prodigies to the brink of their entrance into public performances. Then, the big name men piano professors get a stronghold on them. Madame Sousatzka remains in the shadows as the one who truly molded them into great musical performers.It's interesting that India's Shabana Azmi is hardly even mentioned as a best supporting actress though her part was to be the mother of one such piano prodigy who Sousatzka molded. A mother who baked & baked to earn the money for her son's piano lessons.The plot, director, acting, actors, music, sets, lighting, editing & costumes are all very well done. In a world where every other word has to be bleeped because it's cursing, this film is refreshing and suitable to hold the interest of refined adults & children, especially ones interested in musical careers.
Boyo-2
This movie was an extremely enjoyable experience. I loved every minute of it, even though the story itself is not much to talk about. Its really a slice of life, centering on a piano teacher and her star pupil. The pupil gets involved in the lives of the teachers' neighbors and that's the movie. It might sound boring but it is not. The characters are all sweet and kind to one another, for the most part, and have a real affection for each other too. A birthday party for Madame is a standout scene. Shirley MacLaine does not rely on her usual mannerisms and delivers a powerful performance as Madame Sousatzka. The rest of the cast is great, too, especially Twiggy as the beautiful Jenny and Peggy Ashcroft as the landlord Lady Emily. This is the ideal movie for a Sunday morning or when you want to be entertained by some good music surrounded by a good story.
tomsims1
I can see how this movie would not be for everyone. However, it worked beautifully for me. It was a wonderful contrast of a renowned piano teacher who becomes too attached to her young prodigy. The story was a wonderful juxtaposition of classical performances, along with a study of the people involved. The story develops simultaneously with the evolution of the main charactors, and the acting was first rate. You don't have to love classical piano to enjoy this, but it probably helps. It is a fine story with many layers and I give it a thumbs up.
