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Madame Sousatzka

Play trailer Poster for Madame Sousatzka PG-13 1988 2h 1m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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78% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
In London, eccentric piano instructor Madame Sousatzka (Shirley MacLaine) takes on a new prize protégé, Manek (Navin Chowdhry), a teenage Bengali immigrant who displays incredible talent. Manek forms a close bond with his teacher, but soon discovers that she expects her pupils to become disciplined in all areas of life, and not just behind the piano. As he struggles to meet the challenges, Manek must also deal with his mother (Shabana Azmi), who vies with his teacher for his attentions.
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Madame Sousatzka

Critics Reviews

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Janet Maslin New York Times It's as affectionate, big-hearted and creaky as any film that ever graced Radio City Music Hall, with leisureliness and dime-store philosophizing to match. Rated: 3/5 May 20, 2003 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times An extraordinary movie that loves music and loves the people it is about, and has the patience to do justice to both. Rated: 4/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post As charming and fanciful as it is impossible to pigeonhole. Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Jo MacFarlane Sojourner MacLaine gives a gutsy performance in Sousatzka. Sep 11, 2019 Full Review Cathy Burke United Press International Madame Sousatzka is a perfect one-woman show, and this show belongs to its star, Shirley MacLaine. Oct 10, 2016 Full Review Lori Hoffman Atlantic City Weekly Rated: 3/5 Mar 16, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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steve d It's really boring, and the performances are just ok. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member good bio-pic of sorts. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member A piano teacher and a prodigy's mother vie for the pupil's devotion. In the canon of teacher films, this provides a new category, the pedagogy of self-abnegation. Madame Sausatzka has an unfortunate string of pupils who learn from her then leave her. During their instruction she uses the basic tough love methods that we've come to expect from films of this ilk, and like <i>To Sir with Love</i>, which is the ultimate tough-love educator film, she forms an emotional bond with her students. But when she's left, she feels emptier, like a jilted lover. The film doesn't condemn her teaching methods; in fact it celebrates them because she emerges as an educator-hero, one who has sacrificed for the greater good. I don't like the message, but I think it's interesting. Shirley MacLaine gives a very good performance, an abrasive attitude mixed with an inner pain. Navin Chowdhry is also very good, giving one of the better performance I've seen from a child actor. The film's plot unfolds slowly, and it isn't until late in the second act that its pedagogical philosophy becomes clear. I also had no idea what was going on with the house in which Sousatzka was entrenched; I got that it was condemned or something, but the specifics of the problem and its solution failed to be a compelling plotline. Also, the subplot between Manek and Jenny was poorly set up. Overall, I didn't like a lot about how the film was structured, but its basic idea is quite interesting. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member I guess I missed the part where I was supposed to care at all. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A must see for the musically obsessed. Shirley is a gem of an actress. The storyline was a perfection in itself. Wish I could give it 10 out of 5 stars Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member not really my kind of movie...but a very nice acting by miss maclaine Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Madame Sousatzka

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Cast & Crew

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John Schlesinger

Director

Shirley MacLaine

Madame Yuvline Sousatzka

Navin Chowdhry

Manek Sen

Peggy Ashcroft

Lady Emily

Twiggy

Jenny

Shabana Azmi

Sushila Sen

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Madame Sousatzka

Madame Sousatzka (1988) Madame Sousatzka (1988) Madame Sousatzka (1988) Madame Sousatzka (1988) Madame Sousatzka (1988) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In London, eccentric piano instructor Madame Sousatzka (Shirley MacLaine) takes on a new prize protégé, Manek (Navin Chowdhry), a teenage Bengali immigrant who displays incredible talent. Manek forms a close bond with his teacher, but soon discovers that she expects her pupils to become disciplined in all areas of life, and not just behind the piano. As he struggles to meet the challenges, Manek must also deal with his mother (Shabana Azmi), who vies with his teacher for his attentions.
Director
John Schlesinger
Producer
Robin Dalton
Screenwriter
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, John Schlesinger
Production Co
Cineplex Odeon Films
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 14, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.9M
Runtime
2h 1m
Sound Mix
Surround
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