THE PIANO SCENE FROM BIG

THE PIANO sequence is 2:04 minutes of pure joy. Josh Baskin (Tom Hanks), transformed from a 12-year-old into an, followed by an energetic version of . The scene was inspired by screenwriter Anne (sister of Steven) Spielberg’s recce to FAO Schwarz, delivering a moment that perfectly encapsulates the film’s ethos: as Josh and Mac revel in childish glee, their dance erodes the difference between kid and grown-up, innocence and maturity. From Mac’s delight watching Josh slide down the keyboard, creating a , to the moment the pair amp up the speed of their dancing but remain in perfect synch (Hanks remembers it “like jumping rope for three hours every time we did it”), it is a delight you never tire of watching. FAO Schwarz later sold seven-foot versions of the keyboard (at $6 520 a ) — a testament to the scene’s ability to capture happiness in a bottle.