Playing for Time

1980 2h 30m EN

👍

6.9

SOLID

★6.9TMDB · 59

DramaMusicHistoryTV Movie

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When a Jewish songstress is plucked from the stage and sent to Auschwitz, she and other musicians find themselves assigned to a terrible task—using their talents to soothe fellow prisoners who are sentenced to die in the gas chambers.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Vanessa Redgrave
Fania Fenelon
Jane Alexander
Alma Rose
Maud Adams
Mala
Christine Baranski
Olga
Robin Bartlett
Etalina
Marisa Berenson
Elzvieta
Verna Bloom
Paulette
Donna Haley
Katrina

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Daniel Mann
Writers: Arthur Miller
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Clocks in at 150 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

46 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Daniel Mann, shot by Arthur J. Ornitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Brad Fiedel. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jay Freund shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Vanessa Redgrave and Jane Alexander and Maud Adams carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0081344 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 59 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Daniel Mann directs. Arthur J. Ornitz behind the camera. Brad Fiedel scores. Jay Freund cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Clocks in at 150 minutes — on the longer side of feature-length cinema.
246 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Daniel Mann, shot by Arthur J. Ornitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Brad Fiedel. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Jay Freund shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Vanessa Redgrave and Jane Alexander and Maud Adams carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0081344 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 59 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.