The Piano

The Piano is a 1993 film about a mute woman pianist and her daughter, set during the mid-19th century in a rainy, muddy frontier New Zealand backwater. The film was written and directed by Jane Campion, and stars Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill and Anna Paquin. It features an impressive score for the piano by Michael Nyman. Hunter played her own piano pieces for the film, and also served as teacher for Paquin, earning herself three different screen credits.

Interpretations

Although some regard The Piano as a feminist film, others claim it is misogynistic, if not entirely misanthropic: the protagonist could be interpreted as a narcissist whose refusal since the age of 6 to speak makes her dependent on others for her care, while she amuses herself with her piano playing. She has no misgivings about infidelity when her husband proves to be less than ideal, believes that she mentally forced her daughter's father into having sex with her , and kisses herself in the mirror . Meanwhile, her husband is a sexually shy, cold boor who is more interested in his logging operations than his new wife and child and her paramour, who has partly "gone native," is an instant cuckolder of his best friend. The husband's pompous cousin and niece are portrayed by two obese actresses.

Related Topics:
Feminist - Misogynistic - Misanthropic

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