The Pianist (2002) Director: Roman Polanski Writers: Ronal Harwood (screenplay); based on the book by Wladyslaw Szpilman
Character Notes • Behavior • Appearance Cast Character • Dialogue • Feelings • Director’s or Writer’s Craft (filming choices and script or dialogue
Adrien Brody Wladyslaw Szpilman
Emilia Fox Dorota
Ed Stoppard Henryk
Maureen Lipman Mother
Frank Finlay Father
Jessica Kate Meyer Halina
Julia Rayner Regina
Daniel Caltagirone Majorek
Itzak Heller (Jewish Roy Smiles Police)
Captain Wilm Thomas Kreschmann Hosenfeld
Yehuda (underground Paul Bradley printer)
Timeline of Events As Szpilman Described in his memoir or
General Knowledge 1 September 1939 Germany invaded Poland from the west 3 September 1939 Great Britain and France declared war on Germany 17 September 1939 Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east 27 September 1939 Warsaw surrendered to the Germans 23 November 1939 Polish Jews required to wear the Star of David 16 October 1940 German officials decree the creation of the ghetto 15 November 1940 Ghetto sealed off from the rest of the city 22 June 1941 Germany attacked eastern Poland and USSR Portion of ghetto closed and Szpilman's family compelled to 15 March 1942 move Beginning of the first of four mass deportations of Warsaw Jews 22 July 1942 to Treblinka 28 July 1942 Jewish Fighting Organization formed Szpilman family deported from the Umschlagplatz at the edge 16 August 1942 of the Warsaw Ghetto 6 September 1942 Final phase of mass deportations ended First open resistance by Warsaw Jews sparked by Himmler's 18 January 1943 order to deport more Jews Late January or Szpilman escapes the Warsaw Ghetto and went into hiding with February 1943 several different people 19 April 1943 Full blown Warsaw Ghetto Uprising begins 16 May 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising brought to an end Lewicki warns Szpilman that the Gestapo had “sealed” the Early June 1943 rooms of himself and the Malczeski’s and expected the Gestapo to uncover his hiding place. Szpilman meets Szalas who will take care of him, but Szalas’ 30 July 1943 extorts money; still in Lewicki’s flat Szpilman escapes Lewicki’s flat and arrives at friends’ 12 August 1943 apartment; Helena Lewicka finds him an apartment flat at Aleja Niepodleglosci 20 August 1943 On a work crew, Szpilman leaves ghetto first time in two years Polish Uprising against German occupation; advancing Soviet troops suspend efforts miles outside of Warsaw; 1 August 1944 Szpilman is eventually forced out of his hiding place and begins living without help in a variety of hiding places in burnt out buildings, scrounging for food and water 11 September 1944 Soviet offensive resumes outside of Warsaw Szpilman is discovered by a German officer, Captain Wilm November 1944 Hosenfeld 12 December 1944 Last contact that Szpilman had with Hosenfeld 13 or 14 January Szpilman nearly shot for being a German soldier by Polish 1945 soldiers 17 January 1945 Soviet troops enter ruins of Warsaw