Sophie's Choice
“Between the innocent, the romantic, the sensual, and the unthinkable. There are still some things we have yet to imagine.”
Synopsis
Stingo, a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie and her lover Nathan, he learns that she is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In the present, Sophie and Nathan's relationship increasingly unravels as Stingo grows closer to Sophie and Nathan's fragile mental state becomes ever more apparent.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Meryl Streep on Making SOPHIE'S CHOICEOfficial
Type: Featurette • Published 2021-01-27
Top Cast
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Meryl Streep
Zofia "Sophie" Zawistowski
Kevin Kline
Nathan Landau
Peter MacNicol
Stingo
Rita Karin
Yetta
Stephen D. Newman
Larry
Greta Turken
Leslie Lapidus
Josh Mostel
Morris Fink
Marcell Rosenblatt
Astrid Weinstein
Moishe Rosenfeld
Moishe Rosenblum
Robin Bartlett
Lillian Grossman
Eugene Lipinski
Polish Professor
John Rothman
Librarian
Joseph Leon
Dr. Blackstock
David Wohl
English Teacher
Nina Polan
Woman in English Class
Alexander Sirotin
Man #1 in English Class
Armand Dahan
Man #2 in English Class
Cortez Nance Jr.
Bellboy
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 8, 1982
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 24, 2013
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$12M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$30M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
2.5x
+$18M net gain
Theatrical Status
Profitable
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Alan J. Pakula
- Screenplay & Story
- Alan J. Pakula
- Original Score
- Marvin Hamlisch
- Original Title
- Sophie's Choice
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Czech, German, French, Polish, Russian, English
- Runtime
- 2h 31m
- Production Budget
- $12M
- Worldwide Gross
- $30M
- Production Studios
- ITC Entertainment, Keith Barish Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Alan J. Pakula
Alan J. Pakula, William Styron
Marvin Hamlisch
Néstor Almendros
Evan A. Lottman
Martin Starger, Keith Barish, Alan J. Pakula
Department Leadership Roster
Alan J. Pakula
Director
Alan J. Pakula
Screenplay
Albert Wolsky
Costume Design
George Jenkins
Production Design
Evan A. Lottman
Editor
Marvin Hamlisch
Original Music Composer
Keith Barish
Producer
Alan J. Pakula
Producer
Néstor Almendros
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Sophie's Choice.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Sophie's Choice.
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AFI Top 100 (2007 Edition)
AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition is an updated edition to AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies, a list of the top 100 greatest American films of all time. AFI 百年百大电影（10周年修订版）： 美国电影学会（AFI）评选的最伟大的100部美国电影。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:37:20 UTC+8)*
***Dramă***
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sophie's Choice
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Sophie's Choice about?
Stingo, a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie and her lover Nathan, he learns that she is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In the present, Sophie and Nathan's relationship increasingly unravels as Stingo grows closer to Sophie and Nathan's fragile mental state becomes ever more apparent.
Who directed Sophie's Choice?
Sophie's Choice was directed by Alan J. Pakula.
Who stars in Sophie's Choice?
The principal cast of Sophie's Choice includes Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol, Rita Karin, Stephen D. Newman.
When was Sophie's Choice released and how long is it?
Sophie's Choice was released in 1982 with a total runtime of 2h 31m.
What was the box office and production budget of Sophie's Choice?
Sophie's Choice had a reported production budget of $12M and grossed $30M at the worldwide box office (2.5 return on budget, classified as a commercial hit).
Who composed the musical score for Sophie's Choice?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Sophie's Choice was composed by Marvin Hamlisch.
Is Sophie's Choice based on a book or true story?
Sophie's Choice is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "William Styron".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Sophie's Choice?
Sophie's Choice holds official age classifications: CA: R; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).