All the comments about Meryl Streep and accents - would you prefer she act without seeking the authenticity of the character she plays? Would you prefer the flat American accents that John Wayne brought to Ghengis Khan, for example, the mixture of normal American and English accents in Enemies at the Gate, which was supposed to be about Russians?
In Sophie's Choice, Streep plays a Polish refugee. If you watch the movie from beginning to end, Streep's Polish accent changes and her command of English improves as the time chronology advances - her English improves the longer the character is in America, in a natural progression. Her accent changed exactly as my Aunt Wanda's did, over time. Considering the movie was not shot in sequence, that is a remarkable acheivement and added to the truth of the character that Streep protrayed. As someone with many Polish relatives, Streep's Sophie was a true presentation of a Polish refugee, language included as it ought be as language is important, and that is rare in movies. The only other Polish character done well in a non Polish made movie is Jeremy Irons in Moonlighting (the one about the Polish laborers, not the one about Cybil Sherperd and Bruce Willis). I think Streep's performance in Sophies Choice was the finest achievement by an actor in any movie ever. Period. And I must demur when people criticise Streep for her ability to speak the speech of the characters that she portrays. Many films use language coaches to help the actors do the right accent. Streep excels at it as she does in acting in total. To me, it is like knocking Streisand because she knows what she wants. It could be perhaps a sexist thing. After all, Laurence Olivier attempted a wide number of accents and was not nearly as good at them as Streep, and yet it is Streep who is dismissed as merely an accent. To me, Streep is one of the finest actors of all time. (the Rev Vince) moving from Janis Joplin thoughts to Meryl Streep thoughts - extraordinary women who have blessed us with their art
