The Piano Lesson Page #4

Synopsis: 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, Music
Director(s): Lloyd Richards
Production: Republic Pictures Home Video
  Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 11 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.1
PG
Year:
1995
95 min
1,549 Views


STEWART:

Miss McGrath, Alisdair Stewart.

You'll have to wake yourself.

I've got men here to carry your

things.

ADA and FLORA struggle up to find themselves confronted by a group of

men and women. The MAORIS stare curiously and comment on the women.

Aut he anahera enci?

(Are they angels, they look

like angels.)

SUBTITLED:

A man points at FLORA's feet and gestures as if holding one of the

little shoes in his hand.

Te monohi hoki!

(So small!)

SUBTITLED:

FLORA is struck by shyness and hides under her mother's skirt. ADA

cannot look straight at STEWART and STEWART also cannot look at her.

STEWART:

I see you have a good many

boxes, I'd like to know what is

in each.

As ADA does not move STEWART is puzzled.

STEWART:

CAN - YOU - HEAR - ME?

ADA nods and looks up coldly, insulted by his slow loud speaking.

STEWART:

Well that is good, yes that is

good, good.

STEWART smiling searches ADA's face for some sign of comprehension but

is unnerved by her lack of response. He stops smiling, and, patting

his hair walks to the closest box. Several of the MAORI party follow

behind STEWART while one of them closely and particularly mimics him.

STEWART:

What's in here?

ADA points to the writing already on the box saying "Crockery and

Pots".

STEWART:

Ohh, yes so it is, written

there, crockery.

STEWART:

And this one?

ADA writes "bedclothes and linen" on the pad around her neck- While

she writes he takes the opportunity to scrutinise her.

STEWART:

You're small. I never thought

you'd be small.

He walks to another chest

STEWART:

What's here?

She writes "clothes". The MAORI mimic also pretends to write.

Finally he comes to the piano box. He lifts a corner experimentally.

STEWART:

What's in here then, lead?

FLORA:

(gravely) It's my mother's

piano.

STEWART:

A piano?

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes

August Wilson

August Wilson was an American playwright whose work included a series of ten plays, The Pittsburgh Cycle, for which he received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama more…

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Submitted by shilobe on March 28, 2017

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