Plot
Sophie is the survivor of Nazi concentration camps, who has found a reason to live in Nathan, a sparkling if unsteady American Jew obsessed with the Holocaust...
Release Year: 1982
Rating: 7.6/10 (15,039 voted)
Critic's Score: 67/100
Director:
Alan J. Pakula
Stars: Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol
Storyline Sophie is the survivor of Nazi concentration camps, who has found a reason to live in Nathan, a sparkling if unsteady American Jew obsessed with the Holocaust. They befriend Stingo, the movie's narrator, a young American writer new to New York City. But the happiness of Sophie and Nathan is endangered by her ghosts and his obsessions.
Writers: William Styron, Alan J. Pakula
Cast: Meryl Streep
-
Sophie
Kevin Kline
-
Nathan
Peter MacNicol
-
Stingo
Rita Karin
-
Yetta
Stephen D. Newman
-
Larry
Greta Turken
-
Leslie Lapidus
Josh Mostel
-
Morris Fink
Marcell Rosenblatt
-
Astrid Weinstein
Moishe Rosenfeld
-
Moishe Rosenblum
Robin Bartlett
-
Lillian Grossman
Eugene Lipinski
-
Polish Professor
John Rothman
-
Librarian
Joseph Leon
-
Dr. Blackstock
David Wohl
-
English Teacher
Nina Polan
-
Woman in English Class
Taglines:
Between the innocent, the romantic, the sensual, and the unthinkable. There are still some things we have yet to imagine.
Release Date: 8 December 1982
Filming Locations: Brooklyn Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $12,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $202,131
(USA)
(12 December 1982)
(9 Screens)
Gross: $19,962,353
(USA)
(20 March 1983)
Technical Specs
Runtime:|
Canada:
(Ontario)
Did You Know?
Trivia:
When William Styron was writing the novel, he envisioned Ursula Andress in the role of Sophie.
Goofs:
Factual errors:
Slavic surnames ending in -ski/-skiy are, in Slavic grammar, considered adjectives, and so the female form is -ska. Sophie's and Eva's surname should therefore be Zawistowska. Moreover, it is unlikely for Eva's name to be spelt with a 'v' as the proper Polish form is 'Ewa' ('v' does not appear in the Polish alphabet and is only used in foreign names and loanwords).
Quotes: Sophie:
[after having taken a sip of the wine that Nathan has poured for her]
Mmm. You know, when you... when you live a good life... like a saint... and then you die, that must be what they make you to drink in paradise.
User Review
The finest performance by an actress in the history of film.
Rating: 9/10
'Sophie's Choice' should be compulsory viewing for any member of the voting
panel who decide Academy Award winners. Quite simply, Meryl Streep's
performance is THE benchmark for that 'Best Actress' category. I've seen a
LOT of films, but not one performance has ever (and will ever) match her's.
The manner in which she embodies Sophie goes beyond explanation. It is too
accomplished and moving for words. It is almost offensive to think that
Julia Roberts was awarded the same statue for ‘Erin Brockovich'!
Aside from the breathtaking central performance from the marvellous Ms
Streep, there are so many other reasons to see this film. Kevin Kline and
Peter MacNicol are excellent, the cinematography is beautiful (particularly
the shots of Brooklyn Bridge) the score is haunting ... I could go
on.
Although certain critics have berated 'Sophie's Choice' as a mere platform
for Meryl Streep as an actress, I urge you to overlook this view. The film
succeeds admirably in bringing to horrific life an event in history which
we
should all be made aware of. It is undeniable that the phenomenal
performance of MS leaves you spellbound, but NOT at the expense of being
horrified and affected by what you have seen. All I can say to sum up is:
just see it. An intelligent and profoundly moving film which will (I
promise
you) live on in your memory long after the closing credits.
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