The Pianist portrays the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), a Polish musician who survived the horrors of World War II, including the execution of his family, to become a leading concert pianist of the 20th century.
For a time, Szpilman is living underground, hidden by friends, and shuttled from place to place to avoid detection by the Nazis. In one scene he is ushered into a small apartment by a friend, who cautions him to "keep as quiet as possible." The hiding place is in an apartment next door to the head of police and across the street from a hospital caring for wounded German soldiers.
"You are now living in the heart of the lion's den," says his friend. "Keep as quiet as possible."
When the friend leaves, Szpilman eyes the piano in the corner of the room. Having not played piano for many months, he is drawn to open its keyboard and lift the felt cover off the keys.
A symphony orchestra begins to play, and we see Szpilman lost in the music as we hear the piano enter on cue, playing a victorious theme. The camera cuts to a shot of Szpilman's hands, revealing that his fingers are not touching the keyboard, and the music he hears is all in his head and his heart.
What can sustain a person through tragedy, starvation, and the horrors of war? Even in the middle of the lion's den, the heart can hear rapturous melodies of grace that sustain us.
Content: Rated R for violence and language.
Elapsed time: 00:33:31 to 00:36:50, DVD chapter 11.