The Piano (1993)

90% of critics liked it
(49 reviews)
85% of users liked it
(45,080 ratings)

Writer/director Jane Campion's third feature unearthed emotional undercurrents and churning intensity in the story of a mute woman's rebellion in the recently colonized New Zealand wilderness of Victorian times. Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter), a mute who has willed herself not to speak, and her… More Writer/director Jane Campion's third feature unearthed emotional undercurrents and churning intensity in the story of a mute woman's rebellion in the recently colonized New Zealand wilderness of Victorian times. Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter), a mute who has willed herself not to speak, and her strong-willed young daughter Flora (Anna Paquin) find themselves in the New Zealand wilderness, with Ada the imported bride of dullard land-grabber Stewart (Sam Neill). Ada immediately takes a dislike to Stewart when he refuses to carry her beloved piano home with them. But Stewart makes a deal with his overseer George Baines (Harvey Keitel) to take the piano off his hands. Attracted to Ada, Baines agrees to return the piano in exchange for a series of piano lessons that become a series of increasingly charged sexual encounters. As pent-up emotions of rage and desire swirl around all three characters, the savage wilderness begins to consume the tiny European enclave. Campion imbues her tale with an over-ripe tactility and a murky, poetic undertow that betray the characters' confined yet overpowering emotions: Ada's buried sensuality, Baines' hidden tenderness, and Stewart's suppressed anger and violence. The story unfolds like a Greek tragedy of the Outback, complete with a Greek chorus of Maori tribesmen and a blithely uncaring natural environment that envelops the characters like an additional player. Campion directs with discreet detachment, observing one character through the glances and squints of another as they peer through wooden slats, airy curtains, and the spaces between a character's fingers. She makes the film immediate and urgent by implicating the audience in characters' gazes. And she guides Hunter to a revelatory performance of silent film majesty. Relying on expressive glances and using body language to convey her soulful depths, Hunter became a modern Lillian Gish and won an Oscar for her performance, as did Paquin and Campion for her screenplay. Campion achieved something rare in contemporary cinema: a poetry of expression told in the form of an off-center melodrama. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr.
Directed By: Jane Campion
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International

In Theaters: Nov 19, 1993 Wide
On DVD: Jan 13, 1998
Studio: Miramax Films

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Sweetie and An Angel at My Table have taught us to expect startling as well as beautiful things from Jane Campion, and this assured and provocative third feature (1993) offers yet another lush parable.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Ms. Campion somehow suggests states of mind you've never before recognized on the screen.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
[An] evocative, powerful, extraordinarily beautiful film from the Australian director Jane Campion.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The Piano is as peculiar and haunting as any film I've seen.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
The Piano plays itself with such contrapuntal richness, it resonates in you forever.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
The Piano is a solid motion picture with a universal message and occasional splashes of genius, but it is remarkable only as Holly Hunter's performance is concerned.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
[VIDEO] "The Piano" is a powerful film for its slow, inevitable inertia of drama.
Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy
A melancholy film exploring the despair and passion that arises from difficult situations.
David Gurney, Common Sense Media
Charged tale of a woman's awakening for older teens and up.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
A stunning mood piece and a haunting adult fairy tale.
Nathaniel Rogers, Film Experience
It's often incorrectly reduced to a feminist fable, but the scope of Jane Campion's achievement is broader. If anything The Piano is a masterwork of humanism.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Sublime - Holly Hunter's best work.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
The fable's surreal imagery and attention to detail, capturing a place and time--New Zealand outpost in 19th century--in which one mute person (the brilliant Holly Hunter) finds the true meaning of womanhood against all odds, linger in memory.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Campion never underestimates the power physical obsession exerts over human souls, and, for once, a modern film treats erotic passion honestly.
Matt Mueller, Empire Magazine
The Piano deserves its place as a classic.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Sanjaya &

3 Academy Awards winning movie of 1993 for Best Original Screenplay, Best Leading Actress (Holly Hunter), and Best Supporting Actress (Anna Paquin)... The beginning of this movie was a little boring, I was a little confused to get the story... But since Ada (Holly Hunter) met Baines… More
3 Academy Awards winning movie of 1993 for Best Original Screenplay, Best Leading Actress (Holly Hunter), and Best Supporting Actress (Anna Paquin)... The beginning of this movie was a little boring, I was a little confused to get the story... But since Ada (Holly Hunter) met Baines (Harvey Keitel) for a piano lesson, the story becomes more interesting to be watched... Yet I'm surprised with how good Anna Paquin's performance... She is a very young actress and she can act that great, and that just amazed me and she really deserve the Oscar... Overall, the movie was a really good one, even though the story was a little bit confusing, but the performance from 2 great actress here (Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin) was a joy to behold...!!!
Cassandra M

Jane Campion's Oscar-winning movie follows Ada (played by Holly Hunter), an immigrant to the New Zealand outback and an arranged marriage, who has not spoken for years and lives her life through the sound of her piano. Her husband (played by Sam Neill) is a man without much… More
Jane Campion's Oscar-winning movie follows Ada (played by Holly Hunter), an immigrant to the New Zealand outback and an arranged marriage, who has not spoken for years and lives her life through the sound of her piano. Her husband (played by Sam Neill) is a man without much understanding, who tries to break the connection between his new wife and her piano; in contrast to him is the wild illiterate Baines (played by Harvey Keitel), a tattooed loner, who reaches into Ada's soul and helps her to regain contact with her emotions and ultimately, her voice too. The film is visually compelling, with its muted colours and wide open spaces, and uses the soundtrack by Michael Nyman in such a way so all the elements fit together. Keitel and Hunter give excellent performances within a sensitive and sensual screenplay, while Anna Paquin is impressive as Ada's wise daughter, always watching and always aware. Campion managed to make the story touching, involving, and sexy, and it well deserved the plaudits heaped on it.
El Hombre I

A very interesting character study filmed with impressive cinematic artistry that is more poetry than melodrama. Although the Oscar went to Campion for screenwriting, as well as Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin, the film still fell victim to bad marketing. So at first glance, The… More
A very interesting character study filmed with impressive cinematic artistry that is more poetry than melodrama. Although the Oscar went to Campion for screenwriting, as well as Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin, the film still fell victim to bad marketing. So at first glance, The Piano, much like Breaking The Waves, looks like a straightforward romance flick, but it's too well scripted to ever call it such. Like most art films, its' narrative is often strange. However, this is unlikely to turn away true lovers of film who may be interested in familiar stories of need/desire being told differently. Set in the surreal Victorian times of female oppression with a central theme being, "Why waste life being pointlessly prude?" One one hand, Ada (Holly Hunter) could spend the rest of her days against her will as the model Christian, mail-order bride of Sam Neill or live out "her" life with Harvey Keitel, both who put in brave performances. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view&current=ThePiano.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/ThePiano.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Ross C

Sex in the prudish Victorian society of New Zealand. I couldn't relate to the characters so didn't find their motivations particularly plausible, but it's apparently popular amongst the ladies. The famous Michael Nyman score dates the movie somewhat, but there's… More
Sex in the prudish Victorian society of New Zealand. I couldn't relate to the characters so didn't find their motivations particularly plausible, but it's apparently popular amongst the ladies. The famous Michael Nyman score dates the movie somewhat, but there's some enjoyable cinematography to complement it.
Emile T

Absolutely beautiful.
Robert C

Some people refer to this as a "chick flick", but that couldn't be farther from the truth. This film covers a gamut of emotions and subject matters, that any thinking, compassionate person should be able to relate to. To me this is quite possibly one of the most… More
Some people refer to this as a "chick flick", but that couldn't be farther from the truth. This film covers a gamut of emotions and subject matters, that any thinking, compassionate person should be able to relate to. To me this is quite possibly one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. The story is heartbreaking, yet full of passion and hope. The acting is superb on all counts. Though (11 year old?) Anna Paquin is truly amazing. The music is sublime. Cinematography is exquisite. My only complaint is that the ending (last five minutes) didn't work for me. It was a little to 'happily ever after'. I feel like it would have been more true to the character of Ada if her passion for her piano (the one thing that was a constant for her) was ultimately more important then they make it in the end. I feel like she would have rather died with her piano then live without it.
Elvira B

It's amazing to find a movie in which all the performances are better than just standard good. I think The Piano, though, can be placed in that category. Holly Hunter is just incredible as a mute woman sent to marriage, along with her daughter, to a landowner in 1850s New… More
It's amazing to find a movie in which all the performances are better than just standard good. I think The Piano, though, can be placed in that category. Holly Hunter is just incredible as a mute woman sent to marriage, along with her daughter, to a landowner in 1850s New Zealand, played by Sam Neill. She uses her piano as a way to express herself without words, playing and pouring all her thoughts and feelings into every note. Unfortunately, her husband forbids her from taking the piano along with her to the house and leaves it on the beach. One of his employees, an illiterate countryman (Harvey Keitel - terrific, just terrific), rescues the piano. I don't want to go into specific details, but I can say that he and Ada (Holly Hunter) make a connection thanks to the piano that awakes life in her that had been supressed, that allows her to defy authority and tradition in order to just reach the happiness she didn't know she wanted. The results are incredibly beautiful, but not necessarily happy at all. I felt really bad for Ada while I watched this... it doesn't usually happen but it really attacked me. I guess it's a difficult movie to take in; the injustice and the pain are just so aggressive, and even though she's quite serene all the time, you can feel Ada's pain, and her strength. I'll just encourage everyone to give it a try -the cinematography is amazing and the performances and the direction are flawless. The story is strange and it seems outlandish but it's easy to identify with at least one of its many aspects. All in all it's emotionally stressful; daring, and yet classically well-made.
Lafe F

An exotic move to a muddy New Zealand wilderness with a cranky woman (Holly Hunter), her daughter (strange little Anna Paquin), her husband (stern Sam Neill) and her freakin' piano! I didn't like Holly Hunter's character much. An ugly tattooed Harvey Kietel saves… More
An exotic move to a muddy New Zealand wilderness with a cranky woman (Holly Hunter), her daughter (strange little Anna Paquin), her husband (stern Sam Neill) and her freakin' piano! I didn't like Holly Hunter's character much. An ugly tattooed Harvey Kietel saves Holly's piano, but wants a grimey affair in exchange. Sure, Holly can play the piano well, but it leads to disaster. It's interesting how things turn out. A memorable movie with strange scenes.
Jennifer X

visceral but boring.
Ken S

You get to see Harvey Keitel's balls
Dean M

Incredible tale of mute pianist on a marshy New Zealand isle and this has mix of high romanticism, melodrama, erotic perversity and stylistic modernism. Holly Hunter makes an excellent performance and more impressive with use her sign languages without her voice in this film.
Steve B

"That guy's like 90% wiener. Even on the small screen, that's gonna hurt."
Leigh R

Fabulous film...
Joey N

That this film was not adapted from anything and came from one woman's imagination blows my mind. This is one accomplished masterwork. It's one of those movies that I wanted to read every critical response I could get my hands on afterwards to bask in all of the… More
That this film was not adapted from anything and came from one woman's imagination blows my mind. This is one accomplished masterwork. It's one of those movies that I wanted to read every critical response I could get my hands on afterwards to bask in all of the interpretations: the power struggles symbolizing colonialism, the consequences of repressed passions, the plight of women, etc. The film had a tangible texture to it, one that reminded me the stormy background and intense romance of Wuthering Heights (the novel, I don't care to see the movie). The film offers a serene, dreamy, memorable image that you'll recognize when you see it, and ends on a quietly haunting note. Both Oscar winners for this, Holly Hunter is astonishing as a mute woman and a very young Anna Paquin more than holds her own. EDIT: I just rewatched this and got so much more out of it the second time around (also being a few years older doesn't hurt). A truly amazing film.
Alec B

More often than not films about women who have affairs generally follow the same pattern. This film almost does, but it's complexity of the characters allows it to break free of what we would normally expect. Holly Hunter never says a word on screen and yet her movement and… More
More often than not films about women who have affairs generally follow the same pattern. This film almost does, but it's complexity of the characters allows it to break free of what we would normally expect. Holly Hunter never says a word on screen and yet her movement and facial expressions tell us all we need to know, she deservedly won the oscar for this film. Also great is a very young Anna Paquin, who many know as Rouge in the X-Men movies. She too won an oscar for playing the very strange, yet completely beliveable daughter of Hunter's character. Equally great are Sam Neil and Harvey Keitel who deserves credit for being completely naked on screen.
Laurence C

Layered sociology, poetic lyricism and transgressive kink compliment each other marvelously in Campion's most universally praised work to date. Awe-inspiring performances from all four leads (Hunter being the most devastating) bring emotional swoon out of a stuffy, symbol-heavy… More
Layered sociology, poetic lyricism and transgressive kink compliment each other marvelously in Campion's most universally praised work to date. Awe-inspiring performances from all four leads (Hunter being the most devastating) bring emotional swoon out of a stuffy, symbol-heavy script. Holds up surprisingly well today.
Andre T

Filmed in New Zealand , this drama is about a mute pianist and her daughter, set during the mid-19th century in a rainy, muddy frontier New Zealand backwater on the west coast of New Zealand. The film was written and directed by Jane Campion, and stars Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel,… More
Filmed in New Zealand , this drama is about a mute pianist and her daughter, set during the mid-19th century in a rainy, muddy frontier New Zealand backwater on the west coast of New Zealand. The film was written and directed by Jane Campion, and stars Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, and Anna Paquin. It features an exquisit score for the piano by Michael Nyman which became a bestselling soundtrack album and a modern classic(as the composer create a sinphony using the themes of the soundtrack). Hunter played her own piano pieces for the film, and also served as sign language teacher for Paquin, earning three screen credits. With exotic and beautiful cinematography and music, this is a operistic movie, with strong scenes and mood.
m h

Most of the time, I was honestly bored. First of all, I just don't see how she fell in love with a man who forced her to choose between her piano or having sex with him. I mean perhaps she was lonely, but if it were me, I would still think he was a-hole. And then after Sam Neil… More
Most of the time, I was honestly bored. First of all, I just don't see how she fell in love with a man who forced her to choose between her piano or having sex with him. I mean perhaps she was lonely, but if it were me, I would still think he was a-hole. And then after Sam Neil chops off her finger...he just lets her go like that? So easily? Don't get me wrong, I liked that she had a little happy ending. I just didn't find it too realistic. And I thought the acting was good. But nothing outstanding in my eyes. I thought Jane Campion did a nice job with the directing. And the cinematography was really nice. But overall, I just wasn't "wowed" like I thought I would be.
Erin C

I really didn't like this movie. It was very slow moving and depressing. Even though the ending was a relatively happy one, I still didn't care for it.
Ina S

Delicate masterpiece by Campion. Her direction allows for absolutely perfect performances by Hunter, Keitel and Paquin to flourish - one of the best movies ever made.