Overview
A former concert pianist finds himself trapped in a life of crime and emotional turmoil in Paris.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- wistful
- irreverent
- nervy
- classic cinema night
- noir double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the film's exhilarating formal play, Charles Aznavour's sympathetic performance, and its daring mixture of crime melodrama, romance, slapstick, and musical energy, while some find the script meandering and tonally uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film combines crime melodrama, romance, slapstick humor, and jazz-bar performance around Charlie's changing circumstances.
Edouard Saroyan abandons his concert-pianist identity and performs under the name Charlie Koller in a sleazy bar.
Charlie feels safest behind the keyboard and uses his reduced life to escape the pain of his earlier marriage and career.
The honky-tonk bar, Parisian streets, and surrounding criminal activity frame Charlie's relationships with Léna and Clarisse.
Films like Shoot the Piano Player, and why
The 400 Blows
playful french new wave experimentation blending crime melodrama, romance, and comic tonal shifts
Pierrot le Fou
stylized neo-noir atmosphere, doomed romance, and emotional alienation surrounding criminal danger
Le Samouraï
romantic fatalism, black-and-white noir aesthetics, and psychologically wounded central characters
The American Friend
crime narrative mixed with irreverent humor, shifting moods, and fractured human relationships
Movie Details
- Director
- François Truffaut
- Release Date
- 1960-11-25
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (458)
Cast
- Charles Aznavour
- Marie Dubois
- Nicole Berger
- Michèle Mercier
- Serge Davri
- Claude Mansard
- Richard Kanayan
- Albert Rémy
- Jean-Jacques Aslanian
- Daniel Boulanger
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Darkroom, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Shoot the Piano Player about?
- A withdrawn former concert pianist is dragged from his fragile Paris barroom refuge into romance, family crime, and the unruly rhythms of noir.
- What is Shoot the Piano Player like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Shoot the Piano Player as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Shoot the Piano Player violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Shoot the Piano Player as moderate.
- What did critics think of Shoot the Piano Player?
- Critics broadly admire the film's exhilarating formal play, Charles Aznavour's sympathetic performance, and its daring mixture of crime melodrama, romance, slapstick, and musical energy, while some find the script meandering and tonally uneven.
- Which films are like Shoot the Piano Player?
- Films with a similar feel include The 400 Blows, Pierrot le Fou, Le Samouraï, and The American Friend.
- How long is Shoot the Piano Player?
- Shoot the Piano Player runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch Shoot the Piano Player?
- In United States, Shoot the Piano Player streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Darkroom, HBO Max.
