To ask about Sophie's Choice

[GunpowderGelatine]

I bought it today, a bit reluctantly because I know the plot line. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being not especially bad to 10 being soul-destroyingly traumatising, how distressing is this film to watch?

Agree with the countessoffitzdotterel. Joan Smith's essay about the book is visceral. I read the book but never saw the film. I can't really believe it's not written understanding the misogyny though. It's possible for an author to write a dreadful shallow prejudiced character deliberately, obviously. But ive never felt the urge to read anything else of Styron's. The sheer stench of that narrator stays in your nostrils.

Apparently the kid who played Sophie's little girl was quite scarred by the experience and never acted again.

Harrowing movie, but I've seen worse.

I give it a 6.

I’ve never seen it and have n bee wanted to put myself through it. But I now want to know what ‘the scene’ is.

Can someone give me the spoilers and say what was awful?

It’s misogynistic in lots of ways. The abuse she suffers by Nathan and how it’s justified because she’s ‘Catholic’.

I don’t want to spoil the plot further by naming others.

I saw this when I was 13 and didn’t think much of it. I’d rate it as a three.

Yes, Meryl was good and the themes were tough, but it wasn’t the worst or most traumatic thing I’ve ever seen.
I still think she should have chosen the child she would have been able to help, rather than the boy who was younger and would be in the other hut.

I’ve a practical turn of mind, and I thought it was quite a manipulative film. My family had favorites, so I didn’t find that bit surprising or shocking.

As I’ve said, a three. Not too bad.

Probably a 9, the choice that Sophie made was not a choice. That said, it's an amazing film, you might feel destroyed and teary, but films that make you feel something are good films IMO.
The book is also really good, if you want to take it slower.

Spoiler Alert!!!

So I've never seen the film but I have a question: From what I can gather the film is about a woman who has to choose which of her 2 children to hand over to the nazis? Is that right? If so, whhaaatt? I mean surely the whole point of the Holocaust was to eradicate anyone that didn't meet 'The Criteria', so why didn't they just kill the whole family as they did with everyone else? Is it supposed to be based on true story?

I know it's based on a book but don't know if there's a personal background

Unfortunately it is based on many true stories. A woman chose to go to be gassed with her young daughter so that her two sons would live. They went to the labour camp (and did live, one was 11 and became a doctor - Samuel I think)

There are many stories like this.

Apologies, ‘Samelsen’

www.google.com/amp/s/furtherglory.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/a-holocaust-survivor-of-a-sophies-choice-type-selection/amp/

V sad 😔

Spoiler....

Sophie is already at a camp with both her children. The guards tell her to choose one child to live and the other will be gassed. If she doesn't choose they will both be killed. This is the book anyway. I can't see how the film would differ greatly as it wouldn't be the same agonising choice

I have never seen it and really don't want to
Finding this thread interesting though.

surely the whole point of the Holocaust was to eradicate anyone that didn't meet 'The Criteria', so why didn't they just kill the whole family

Well not everyone died in the concentration camps, so it wasn't solely about complete eradication.

There seem to have been plenty of opportunities for sadistic nazi cunts to get their kicks - this is how it's presented in the film.

I am a crier at many books, films, tv programmes, songs.....yes, "the scene" in Sophie's Choice makes for harrowing viewing, however I was distinctly underwhelmed by the film as a whole.

Watched the scene while pregnant with DC2. Not sure what possessed me. Could never watch again.

There's a café in near us called Sophie's Choice. Every time I go passed I think it is a very bizarre name

Sounds awful, I won’t be watching it.

7

I thought it was about a couple who have a sick daughter, then have another daughter specifically to donate something to the sick daughter then she finds out that is what she was born for a refuses?

I'm guessing I'm getting VERY mixed up.

It sounds awful and I definitely won't be watching it.

There were death camps where almost everyone who arrived died almost immediately, with a few held back for a short period to shovel bodies etc until they were gassed too (Sobibor, Treblinka and others).

Then there were concentration camps with a slave labour element so not everyone died immediately, some were selected for work (Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belsen and others). Depending on fluctuations in policy and the economy, the number and type of people selected varied.

There were also 'scientific' centres where people might be selected for vivisection, as in Dr Mengele's experiments.

At all times the camps were corrupt and amoral places with certain individuals able to express sadistic elements of their characters and torture people with situations like this 'choice'.

It really has absolurely nothing to do with having favourite children.

I've never watched it I think I'd find it just too upsetting but the story line always makes me think of the Beslan school hostages in I read on the bbc a while ago. www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-36378981

@Funsponges I think that is My Sisters Keeper

I have seen it but have no desire to do it again. Meryl is amazing in it but it’s very upsetting.