Testimony (1987)
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Ben Kingsley stars as celebrated Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich in this lengthy historical biography. Along with Prokofiev, Shostakovich is considered among the elite of the 20th-century composers to emerge from his country. Striving to be true to his art form, the composer was caught in the political crossfire of the Stalin regime and was criticized for being politically ambiguous. Under constant pressure, Shostakovich silenced many of his critics when he remained in Leningrad during the Nazi siege to complete his stirring 7th symphony. Terrence Rigby plays Stalin, with Ronald Pickup as the ill-fated Soviet official Tukhachevsky, another of Stalin's many victims. Shostakovich lived until 1975. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Kingsley, Sherry Baines, (more)
- Director(s):
- Tony Palmer
Synopsis of Testimony
Ben Kingsley stars as celebrated Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich in this lengthy historical biography. Along with Prokofiev, Shostakovich is considered among the elite of the 20th-century composers to emerge from his country. Striving to be true to his art form, the composer was caught in the political crossfire of the Stalin regime and was criticized for being politically ambiguous. Under constant pressure, Shostakovich silenced many of his critics when he remained in Leningrad during the Nazi siege to complete his stirring 7th symphony. Terrence Rigby plays Stalin, with Ronald Pickup as the ill-fated Soviet official Tukhachevsky, another of Stalin's many victims. Shostakovich lived until 1975. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
Complete Cast of Testimony
- Ben Kingsley - Dmitri Shostakovich
- Magdalen Asquith - Galya
- Terence Rigby - Stalin
- John Shrapnel - Zhdanov
- Chris Barrie - Carnival Thin Man
- Val Elliot - French Schoolmarm
- Jane Cox - Widow
- Curly Carter - Cross-eyed Man
- Andrew Brittain - Malko
- Peter Woodthorpe - Alexander Glazunov
- Julian Stanley - Andre Gide
- Dorota Rae - Akmatova
- Rowena Parr - Galya at Age 39
- Mitzi Mueller - Nun
- David Sharpe - Mandelstam
- Rodney Litchfield - Sherlock Holmes
- Joyce Grundy - Stalin's Mother
- Nicholas Fry - Maxim at Age 37
- Peter Faulkner - Mayakovsky
- Ed Bishop - American Commentator
- William Squire - Khatchaturyan
- Liza Goddard - English humanist
- Sherry Baines - Nina Shostakovich
- Mark Asquith - Maxim Shostakovich
- Ronald Pickup - Marshall Tukhachevsky
- Robert Reynolds - Brutus
- Brook Williams - H.G. Wells
- Chris D'Bray - Dorian Gray
- Rosemary Chamney - Concierge
- Frank Carson - Carnival Fat Man
- Christopher Bramwell - Vanya
- Mark Thrippleton - Young Stalin
- Tracy Spence - Tsvetayeva
- Marita Phillips - Mme. Lupinskaya
- Panda Jazz - Green
- Bronco McLoughlin - Cossack
- Van Martin - German Humanist
- Colin Hurst - Stalin's Secretary
- Igor Gridneff - Blind Man
- Margaret Fingergut - Christian Woman
- Robert Urquhart - Journalist
- Vernon Dobtcheff - Gargolovsky
- Robert Stephens - Vsevolod Meyerhold
- Murray Melvin - Film Editor
- Director(s):
- Tony Palmer
- Writer(s):
- David Rudkin, Tony Palmer
- Producer(s):
- Tony Palmer
- 1987 - São Paulo International Film Festival - Critics Award
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