Madame Sousatzka

Shirley MacLaine once said as a joke in an interview that "not more than ten people saw the movie"! Well, I am lucky to claim that I was one of the ten and rate it as my top ten movie of all time! The acting is flawless!

I own the LD copy of the movie and am hoping to see the DVD format being available soon. This is such a gem that it would be a shame if it's not released on DVD format to share with the world of what great movies are made of! One final word to describe this movie: Beautiful

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.

John Schlesinger became famous as a polemic and very socially oriented director, but this is his Masterpiece of all times. It is not a monumental movie and it is not a box-office smashing hit.

No. This is a far superior work of artistry, worked and reworked from the guts and above all, from the heart.

The story is very skillfully developed and has plot twists and turns as the classical masterpieces interpreted in this movie.

Yes, because it is a tale of two cultures: the Western and the Eastern. The western side is taken by a (Russian?) piano teacher, living in London (masterfully played by a magnificent Shirley MacLaine) and the Eastern is represented by a would-be and reticent Hindi piano student.

Not only does Schlesinger tell us the story of the two and their passions and strives in life, but also gives us a whole palette of undertones in quite different social worlds.

Despite its length (slightly over two hours) the movie has never a dull moment or a static conversation. Emotions are fully and honestly expressed by all involved and never for a moment, one can feel he is watching a movie here.

Quite the contrary. All the characters play their parts so much to the hilt, that it "sucks" us in and doesn't let loose until the end credits roll.

I am not an emotional person generally, and many "tearjerkers" only make me crack up, so academic they are, but when I watched this movie for the first time in New York City at the Carnegie Odeon Movie Theater, I must admit I came out in tears and had to make an effort not to be noticed for that.

Not that it is particularly sad, quite the contrary. Despite some very dramatic moments, it is truly a wonderful comedy. No the sadness comes out from the realism contained in the lives of the characters, in which we all could find similarities.

The dreams, the passions, the disappointments, the crime and punishment and finally, the absolute redemption are all very important factors in this excellent movie.

The music world is only a mask to show us a much deeper view on society as such. But the film is conducted by Schlesinger (the old fox) as an orchestra conductor, directing a symphony by Beethoven.

His baton is light but never loses out on a note. His conducting is comparable to the mastery of Herbert von Karajan. The only difference is that he waltzes with a camera.

If you want to discover a different movie from the same-o, same-o, then this is an absolute must see.

I personally laughed, cried, got concerned and was worried, was uncomfortable, then immediately relieved by pleasant surprises throughout the entire movie, but above all, it made me think about the similarities with my own world and this is probably why I learned to love this tiny masterpiece.

I just own the VHS version, but would like to plea the producers of the movie (Universal was the distributor, but the movie was a Cineplex/Odeon production) and all those who are involved in DVD production to finally decide to release a pristine copy, with a decent digital sound and a crisp image.

Of all the movies around, this one surely would merit an extra effort to digitalize it and therefore preserve it for posterity.

I can only recommend it. This movie is for all, although some scenes may be a bit difficult to understand by younger audiences, without an adult presence. But in reality, this is a naive suggestion, since it has to be watched by the entire family on a quiet movie evening around the living room.

You need some concentration though, to watch it. It is not a popcorn and beer movie. This is a movie for those who love to think.

Madame Sousatzka is one of those coming of age to win the big competition films; albeit, the kid doesn't come of age (that will be his next step) and there is no competition. And the lovable, eccentric coach is the maddening, overbearing piano teacher, Madame Sousatzka.

Sushila and Manek Sen, an immigrant Indian family, moves to London. Sushila, the mother, supports her son, Manek, by cooking pastries for an upscale department store out of her cramped kitchen. Manek is a raw child prodigy of the piano. For years, Sushila has been funding Manek's studies by selling off her family heirlooms.

They hook up with Madame Sousatzka, one of the top piano teachers in London. She has issues, however. She smothers her students. She has an "art for art's sake" philosophy, and she doesn't believe that her students should seek commerce for their skills. And she tries to hide her students from the world. Through flashbacks, she relives her failed career through her students.

I just finished watching this film for the second time--the first since 1988. It holds up really well. Shirley MacLaine, who plays the title role, gives one of her best performances. She is neither showy nor mannered, in a role that was too easy to devolve into both. Navin Chowdhry (Manek) seems like a natural at the piano. His part calls for him to be cocky and nervous, all at the same time. And he does it quite well. And the supporting roles from Twiggey to Peggy Ashcroft seem to hit the right chords.

There is a lot of great music in it. And the direction and the pace of the film are swift. I think if the film would have spent too much time talking about music, I would've been bored. As it is directed, I was captured by all the pieces played.

Finally, I couldn't help but notice that Ruth Praweer Jhabvala adapted this piece. (I, in fact, researched this film to find out who wrote it.) It's the work between A Room with a View and Howard's End. It really shows off her style of writing. There is this great sense of time and space of modern day London here, as there was in early twentieth century London in Howard's End. And dangerous intimacies seem to be a subject she likes tackling in all three films.

Overall, Madame Sousatzka is well worth the two hours.

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.