I teach not only how to play, but how to live.
In London, eccentric piano instructor Madame Sousatzka takes on a new prize protégé, Manek, a teenage Bengali immigrant who displays incredible talent. Manek forms a close bond with his teacher, but soon discovers that she expects her pupils to become disciplined in all areas of life, and not just behind the piano. As he struggles to meet the challenges, Manek must also deal with his mother, who vies with his teacher for his attention.
Madame Sousatzka (1988) is a drama and music film directed by John Schlesinger, released on October 14, 1988 with a runtime of 2h 2m. It stars Shirley MacLaine, Navin Chowdhry, Shabana Azmi and Peggy Ashcroft. Viewers rate it 6.9 out of 10 across 23 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Madame Sousatzka before you stream it.
Shirley MacLaine
as Madame Yuvline Sousatzka
Navin Chowdhry
as Manek Sen
Shabana Azmi
as Sushila Sen
Peggy Ashcroft
as Lady Emily
Twiggy
as Jenny
Leigh Lawson
as Ronnie Blum
Geoffrey Bayldon
as Mr. Cordle
Lee Montague
as Vincent Pick
Greg Ellis
as Tarek
Robert Rietti
as Leo Milev
Katharine Schlesinger
as Piano Student
Stephen Webber
as School Teacher
Directed by John Schlesinger, written by John Schlesinger, Bernice Rubens and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, produced by Robin Dalton.
Average viewer score of 6.9/10 from 23 ratings.
Luckily for “Manek” (Navin Chowdhry), he has a school teacher who knows a prodigy when she sees one, and so recommends to his recently single-mother “Sushila” (Shabana Azmi) that she send him to the eponymous piano teacher (Shirley MacLaine). She’s rather an eccentric woman but she instantly recognises that this lad has skills - and, that he has a few issues too. As his home life becomes more strained and his mum’s…
Reviewed on February 5, 2025
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Madame Sousatzka (1988) is currently available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. No subscription streaming option is listed right now, so availability may change.
The main cast of Madame Sousatzka (1988) includes Shirley MacLaine, Navin Chowdhry, Shabana Azmi, Peggy Ashcroft and Twiggy. The film was directed by John Schlesinger. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Madame Sousatzka was released on October 14, 1988 and runs for 2h 2m.
Madame Sousatzka (1988) holds an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from 23 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama and music films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Madame Sousatzka trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
