The Piano Lesson

1995
6.8| 1h35m| NA| en| More Info
Released: 05 February 1995 Released
Producted By: Signboard Hill Productions
Country:
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Info

1930's Pittsburgh, a brother comes home to claim "my half of the piano", a family heirloom; but his sister is not wanting to part with it. This is a glimpse of the conditions for African-Americans as well as some of the attitudes and influences on their lives. But whether he is able to sell the piano so that he can get enough money to buy some property and "no longer have to work for someone else" involves the story (or lesson) that the piano has to show him.

Genre

Drama

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Director

Lloyd Richards

Production Companies

Signboard Hill Productions

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The Piano Lesson Audience Reviews

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film
Matrixiole Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.
InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
pangurban-1 This play is not as simple as it first appears. There is great complexity in all of the major characters, especially in Bernice. And the use of the 'jazz set' model instead of the traditional Aristotelian'plot graph' makes all the difference! The language of the play is music itself, and eventually erupts into song. This is a wonderful debate on the importance of the past and the future in the lives of these characters, symbolized by the piano which has been passed down through the family. A cast full of excellent actors brings it to life. Loved it! I hope 'The Piano Lesson' and the other plays in Wilson's ten-play cycle will soon be available on film.
rday-9 Anyone who doesn't "understand" this movie probably doesn't understand African Americans. It's a beautiful, poignant piece about a family and an heirloom piano. I don't like everything August Wilson has done but this one is a gem. The interaction between the characters is top notch. Alfre Woodward is in her element. For those who don't care for Charles Dutton, I know what they mean, but that's the way he acts -- in everything. It's much more effective on the stage than on the screen. As another reviewer has suggested, I also identify with every character. I have uncles just like these men. It's nice to see a movie that really touches you where you live and come from.
glen10000 i emphasize Play because it seems that earlier commentators think Dutton over emotes. all the actors are convincing. this is not to say that all Afro-Americans always acted this way in the 30's. Indeed some act this way today when they feel comfortable . her uncle probably wouldn't be singing in the house except that he felt comfortable singing with these guys around a bottle of whiskey. to say this is merely a ghost story is to miss the point. this like A Raisen In The Sun where the man sees an opportunity to finally own a piece of the rock and a member of his family will not part with the means to acquire it. Also, there is quite a lot more going on here if you watch the play a second time, as i did.
Wolf-121 This movie is a weird mix of a ghost story and a drama. The story is in the beginning vague and when you continue watching it, it becomes clearer and clearer, but it does not suck you into the story and make you want to see how it ends, maybe because the director made it more dramatic then scary.I do not remember any background music in the movie, which makes it more special. The music is coming from the actors themselves, which was amazing to me and I must say to the actors: well done!