Movie Review: Sophie's Choice

Absolutely brilliant! Meryl Streep won an Oscar for her performance in Sophie's Choice. The film is a wonderful adaptation of the book, by William Styron, with flaws like every film. It felt censored for me having read the book and being baffled by aspects of it. Stingo's love affair with Faulkner was lacking and so was his preoccupation with sex; it was only mentioned a few times, but was overwhelming in the novel. Then sex and violence were lacking in the film compared to the novel. The rapes Sophie suffered are completely missing as well as all the homosexual encounters.

However, the film was well done. Meryl Streep deserves her Oscar, and it was Kevin Kline's debut in film. Peter MacNicol played the naive deeply Southern Stingo. Streep's performance as Sophie while she makes literally brought tears to my eyes.

I'm giving the film a 4.5/5. While Streep's performance was insanely good the gentlemen could have been better. I generally like Kline, and his performance was acceptable, but I had higher expectations. I felt that MacNicol missed the mark; I don't know what I was expecting for Stingo, but MacNicol didn't deliver. The film was still amazing though; the pink palace was everything I imaged and more.

Book Review: Sophie's Choice by William Styron

Sophie's Choice by William Styron

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Of course Sophie's Choice was incredible; it was written by William Styron. It is a novel that compels you to read it and become empathetic to the characters. It is a haunting story about one man's attempt to come of age (which in almost always compelling) and juxtaposition of that young man's reality with the realities of the people who influence him.

I specify those who influence him, because Stingo (our narrative) develops an relationship with two of his neighbors, Sophie and Nathan, and they exert a great deal of influence over him, but so do tragic historical figures such as revolutionary leaders and a specific ill treated salve boy.

Stingo contrasts the Holocaust with American slavery repeatedly throughout the novel. Sophie, a Polish victim of the Holocaust, becomes the object of Stingo's love and lust. Nathan, a Jewish man involved with Sophie, becomes a surrogate brother figure for Stingo. Stingo and Nathan argue at length about the persecution of the Jews and slaves; Stingo often resents the blame for slavery being placed entirely on the South, and doubts Nathan's depiction of the Jews as being history's victims (this doesn't mean he doubts the tragedies suffered by the Jewish people).

Then there is Stingo's fixation on sex. It is an underlying theme throughout the novel. He makes several attempts to rid himself of his virginity and fails twice. He eventually have sex with Sophie prompting her to go back to Nathan. Stingo's sexuality is everywhere; he is driven to lose his virginity and then later fears he is a homosexual. Then there is Nathan's schizophrenia which is a force in the novel progressing the plot and driving Sophie and Stingo together.

The last thing I wanted to mention is Faulkner. Stingo (and dare I say Styron) love Faulkner. The text can be dense and difficult at times because of it emulation of Faulkner. Styron tells the read that Stingo loves Faulkner and is attempting to write like him, and as a result we struggle through what at times is a poor imitation.

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