- Actors: Stellan Skarsgĺrd, Katharina Thalbach, Károly Eperjes, Miklós Székely B., Erland Josephson
- Directors: Kjell Grede
- Writers: Kjell Grede
- Producers: Katinka Faragó, Klas Olofsson
- Format: Colour, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled
- Language German
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3 - 1.33:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: Unrated (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: First Run Features
- DVD Release Date: 5 Nov 2002
- Run Time: 115 minutes
- ASIN: B00006IUHK
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 95,366 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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27 reviews
75 of 78 people found the following review helpful
Not an anti-hero, just an average person doing right
5 Nov 2004
Format:DVD
I feel fortunate to have seen this movie and I wish I had known about it years earlier. I have earlier heard about Raoul Wallenberg as a person who disappeared into the Stalin Soviet political prison system, but I knew little else. It is apparently still a mystery as to why he must have been a threat to Stalin unless Stalin presumed that Wallenberg would have remained in Hungary and agitated against the impending communist state. Regardless, Wallenberg's exploits to ultimately save thousands of Jews from extermination by fanatical Nazi's and Hungarian fascists is a story worth retelling.
What is most poignant about the story is that Wallenberg is presented as a very average person, but a person witnessing atrocities in German held territories. For most of the war, he was like the many thousands who too knew of the genocide and did nothing. But, for his own reasons, he chose to become involved. His role was relatively short (less than a year) and it could have been a complete failure. In fact, he did greatly succeed according to not only this movie, but in many other accounts of his actions. But, his success was less the story than his unselfish efforts. Unlike the majority who remained blissfully ignorant, he had enough self-awareness so as to judge himself unfavorably for life if he did not act. To me that is the real lesson, what did this story tell me about myself and what all of us should do when we see injustice?
It is true that the movie did not focus as much on his many achievements, but the film makers decided to keep the film within two hours and to increase the drama by alluding to the triumphs and viewing him in moments of dire consequences and severe spiritual strain. He witnessed children murdered and we could empathize with his helplessness. The film presents these death scenes matter-of-factly as Wallenberg looks at the survivors who until that moment saw him as a mythical character who could stop all such killings. Wallenberg was often able to escape for his safety, but stayed. Would any of us have done the same? I hope that I would have, but I can never know. I only hope that whatever he finally faced in Soviet prison, he knew an internal peace of having done more than he ever thought possible of himself. Please see this movie and show it to your children to keep these lessons alive.
What is most poignant about the story is that Wallenberg is presented as a very average person, but a person witnessing atrocities in German held territories. For most of the war, he was like the many thousands who too knew of the genocide and did nothing. But, for his own reasons, he chose to become involved. His role was relatively short (less than a year) and it could have been a complete failure. In fact, he did greatly succeed according to not only this movie, but in many other accounts of his actions. But, his success was less the story than his unselfish efforts. Unlike the majority who remained blissfully ignorant, he had enough self-awareness so as to judge himself unfavorably for life if he did not act. To me that is the real lesson, what did this story tell me about myself and what all of us should do when we see injustice?
It is true that the movie did not focus as much on his many achievements, but the film makers decided to keep the film within two hours and to increase the drama by alluding to the triumphs and viewing him in moments of dire consequences and severe spiritual strain. He witnessed children murdered and we could empathize with his helplessness. The film presents these death scenes matter-of-factly as Wallenberg looks at the survivors who until that moment saw him as a mythical character who could stop all such killings. Wallenberg was often able to escape for his safety, but stayed. Would any of us have done the same? I hope that I would have, but I can never know. I only hope that whatever he finally faced in Soviet prison, he knew an internal peace of having done more than he ever thought possible of himself. Please see this movie and show it to your children to keep these lessons alive.
77 of 82 people found the following review helpful
One of those films that stay with you
10 Aug 2004
Format:DVD
This is a dark and realistic film about how Wallenberg wanted to save defenseless men, women and children. I think that the selection of Wallenberg for the job amongst a group of Jewish leaders was rather heart gripping. The leaders referred to his papers saying his diplomas weren't that great and job history wasn't of that kind that would make him a first choice for the job. But, Wallenberg kept on saying; - You don't understand. I HAVE DECIDED THAT I AM GOING TO DO THIS JOB.
In Budapest he did what he could to save Jews of all ages. The viewer is also allowed to witness how it becomes increasingly harder to save people.
In this film you are made to face the brutal facts of what that happened during World War II. The film stays with you. Still, I normally watch films that I like many times, but with this one I haven't been able to do so.
Even so, I cannot forget what I saw.
In Budapest he did what he could to save Jews of all ages. The viewer is also allowed to witness how it becomes increasingly harder to save people.
In this film you are made to face the brutal facts of what that happened during World War II. The film stays with you. Still, I normally watch films that I like many times, but with this one I haven't been able to do so.
Even so, I cannot forget what I saw.
32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
an ACCURATE view of the holocaust
27 Mar 2000
Ignore the following review. I almost didn't buy this movie because of those horrid comments. But my intuition told me that I still should, and I am glad that I did. Raoul Wallenberg was NOT brooding and ineffectual in this movie, but rather was a heroic, caring, motivated man who did all he could to help many of the Jews of the Budapest ghetto. His character in this movie can easily be compared to that of Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List. I did NOT notice any significantly inexplicable flashbacks, abrupt transitions or dark picture that the following reviewer complained about. I agree with the last reviewer that this movie is not as emotional as Schindler's List, and certainly is not quite as well-done, but is still among the best holocaust movies that I've seen.
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