Sophie's Choice (film)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 12:44:05 PM Wikipedia source
Sophie's Choice is a 1982 psychological drama directed and written by Alan J. Pakula, adapted from William Styron's 1979 novel. The film stars Meryl Streep as Zofia "Sophie" Zawistowska, a Polish immigrant who moves to America with a dark secret from her past, who shares a boarding house in Brooklyn with her tempestuous lover Nathan (Kevin Kline in his feature-film debut), and young writer Stingo (Peter MacNicol). It also features Rita Karin, Stephen D. Newman, and Josh Mostel in supporting roles. Sophie's Choice premiered in Los Angeles on December 8, 1982, and was theatrically released on December 10 by Universal Pictures. It received positive reviews from critics and grossed $30 million at the box office. Streep's performance was highly praised. The film received five nominations at the 55th Academy Awards, for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score, with Streep winning the award for Best Actress.
Infobox
Directed by
Alan J. Pakula
Screenplay by
Alan J. Pakula
Based on
Sophie's Choice1979 novelby William Styron
Produced by
mw- Alan J. PakulaKeith BarishWilliam C. GerrityMartin Starger
Starring
Meryl Streep Kevin Kline Peter MacNicol
Cinematography
Nestor Almendros
Edited by
Evan A. Lottman
Music by
Marvin Hamlisch
Productioncompanies
ITC EntertainmentKeith Barish Productions
Distributed by
Universal PicturesAssociated Film Distribution
Release dates
December 8, 1982 (1982-12-08) (premiere) December 10, 1982 (1982-12-10) (United States)
Running time
151 minutes
Countries
United KingdomUnited States
Languages
EnglishPolishGerman
Budget
$9 million
Box office
$30 million
Tables
· Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Actress
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Won
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Award
Best Adapted Screenplay
Category
Alan J. Pakula
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
Néstor Almendros
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
Award
Best Costume Design
Category
Albert Wolsky
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
Marvin Hamlisch
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Actress
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Won
British Academy Film Awards
British Academy Film Awards
Award
British Academy Film Awards
Category
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Award
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles
Category
Kevin Kline
Nominee(s)
Nominated
David di Donatello Awards
David di Donatello Awards
Award
David di Donatello Awards
Category
Best Foreign Actress
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Award
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Category
Meryl Streep
Nominee(s)
Won
New Star of the Year – Actor
New Star of the Year – Actor
Award
New Star of the Year – Actor
Category
Kevin Kline
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Japan Academy Film Prize
Japan Academy Film Prize
Award
Japan Academy Film Prize
Category
Outstanding Foreign Language Film
Nominee(s)
Nominated
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Actress
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Won
Kinema Junpo Awards
Kinema Junpo Awards
Award
Kinema Junpo Awards
Category
Best Foreign Language Film
Nominee(s)
Alan J. Pakula
Result
Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Award
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Category
Best Actress
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Won
Mainichi Film Awards
Mainichi Film Awards
Award
Mainichi Film Awards
Category
Best Foreign Language Film
Nominee(s)
Alan J. Pakula
Result
Won
National Board of Review Awards
National Board of Review Awards
Award
National Board of Review Awards
Category
Top Ten Films
Nominee(s)
3rd Place
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Category
Meryl Streep
Nominee(s)
Won
National Society of Film Critics Awards
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Award
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Category
Best Actress
Nominee(s)
Won
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Award
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Category
Best Actress
Nominee(s)
Won
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
Néstor Almendros
Nominee(s)
Won
Sant Jordi Awards
Sant Jordi Awards
Award
Sant Jordi Awards
Category
Best Performance in a Foreign Film
Nominee(s)
Meryl Streep
Result
Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium
Nominee(s)
Alan J. Pakula
Result
Nominated
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Actress | Meryl Streep | Won | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Alan J. Pakula | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Néstor Almendros | Nominated | ||
| Best Costume Design | Albert Wolsky | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | Marvin Hamlisch | Nominated | ||
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actress | Meryl Streep | Won | |
| British Academy Film Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated | ||
| Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles | Kevin Kline | Nominated | ||
| David di Donatello Awards | Best Foreign Actress | Meryl Streep | Nominated | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Meryl Streep | Won | ||
| New Star of the Year – Actor | Kevin Kline | Nominated | ||
| Japan Academy Film Prize | Outstanding Foreign Language Film | Nominated | ||
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Meryl Streep | Won | |
| Kinema Junpo Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Alan J. Pakula | Won | |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Meryl Streep | Won | |
| Mainichi Film Awards | Best Foreign Language Film | Alan J. Pakula | Won | |
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | 3rd Place | ||
| Best Actress | Meryl Streep | Won | ||
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Actress | Won | ||
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Won | ||
| Best Cinematography | Néstor Almendros | Won | ||
| Sant Jordi Awards | Best Performance in a Foreign Film | Meryl Streep | Nominated | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Drama – Adapted from Another Medium | Alan J. Pakula | Nominated | |
References
- Tied with Julie Andrews for Victor/Victoria
- Sophie's Choice at the AFI Catalog of Feature Filmshttps://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/55227
- SOPHIE'S CHOICEhttps://web.archive.org/web/20141015113047/https://bbfc.co.uk/releases/sophies-choice-1970-2
- Box Office Information for Sophie's Choice. Archived March 26, 2014, at the Wayback Machine The Wrap. Retrieved April 4,http://powergrid.thewrap.com/project/sophies-choice
- Sophie's Choicehttps://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=sophieschoice.htm
- Longworth 2013, p. 51.
- Timehttps://web.archive.org/web/20070713113322/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924815-8,00.html
- Longworth 2013, p. 56.
- Daily Variety
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sophies_choice/
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/sophies-choice
- Chicago Sun-Timeshttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sophies-choice-1982
- Chicago Tribune
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/10/movies/styron-s-sophie-s-choice.html
- The Washington Post
- Variety
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.newspapers.com/image/390414116/?terms=%22streep%20shines%22&match=1
- The New Yorker
- FilmSitehttp://www.filmsite.org/100greatperformances4.html
- "The 55th Academy Awards (1983) Nominees and Winners"http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1983
- "BSFC Winners: 1980s"https://bostonfilmcritics.org/past-winners-1980s/
- "BAFTA Awards: Film in 1984"http://awards.bafta.org/award/1984/film
- "Sophie's Choice"https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/sophies-choice/
- "KCFCC Award Winners – 1980-89"https://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1980-89/
- "The 8th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards"http://www.lafca.net/Years/1982.php
- "1982 Award Winners"https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1982/
- "Past Awards"https://nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/about-2/
- "1982 New York Film Critics Circle Awards"https://mubi.com/awards-and-festivals/nyfccas?year=1982
- "Awards Winners"http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551