Description

Madame Sousatzka 1988
2h 2m | Drama, Music | 14 October 1988 (USA)
Storyline:Bengali Sushila Sen and her son, Manek, relocate from India to London after Sushila’s relationship with her husband fails. Sushila struggles with everyday living. A child piano prodigy, Manek’s schoolteacher refers him to a piano teacher, Irina Sousatzka, a Russian immigrant renowned for her teaching skills. Irina forms a strong bond with Manek, not only teaching him piano but also valuable life lessons. Disagreements arise, as Manek does not want anyone to run his life for him, but nevertheless the training progresses. Sushila, a baker and seller of Indian cuisine, loses an important client after her hair is found in one of her baked goods. To help his mother, Manek feels pressure to use his piano skills to earn some money. This is against Irina’s wishes, however, as she is trying to protect Manek from her own negative experiences as a young concert pianist. She believes no student should perform until they are ready. But Manek, encouraged by a pushy music agent, decides to perform with the London Symphony Orchestra, ready or not.User review:I see that Shirley MacLaine complained that no one got to see Madame Sousatzka in its first run. Well I can say that back in 1988 I did get to see this film with the late Daniel Strausbaugh in its initial run. Seeing it again 31 years later it is as fresh and original as it was on first viewing.Playing the title role of a strict and demanding piano teacher recently settled in London MacLaine is far from some of the characters she did in her salad days. She’s a good teacher, but she intrudes a bit too much into the lives of her students. She’s not one to just take the money from parents who want their untalented kids. She’s like a jockey who wants only to ride stake horse races.Such a thoroughbred is Indian kid Navin Chowdhry whose mom Shabana Amzi is a single mom with a catering business who has sacrificed all for her talented kid.The thing is Navin is a regular kid who likes to kid things such as rollerskating. A habit MacLaine cures him of. She nurtures his talent and him. But he does grow away from her because teenage boys do have hormones even if they’re piano prodigies.The cast is uniformly fine and this film should be better known. MacLaine’s scenes with Chowdhry are special. You really do think this is a demanding teacher and pupil not just actors playing them.If you like Shirley MacLaine this is a must.
Director: John Schlesinger
Writers: Bernice Rubens (from the novel by), Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (screenplay), John Schlesinger (screenplay)
Stars: Shirley MacLaine, Navin Chowdhry, Peggy Ashcroft
Countries of origin: United Kingdom, Canada
Language: English
Filming locations: The Heathland School, Hounslow, Middlesex, England, UK
IMDB Profile tt0095564

Madame Sousatzka (1988)

1988-10-14

6.6

Director: John Schlesinger

Writers: Bernice Rubens, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, John Schlesinger

Stars: Shirley MacLaine, Navin Chowdhry, Peggy Ashcroft

Summary: Renowned Russian piano teacher Irina Sousatzka gets a new student - Bengali piano prodigy Manek. They are both immigrants in the UK and bond quickly. When Manek's single mother's business fails, he must make a career decision.

Also known as: Madame Sousatzka (1988) on DVD