I wanted to rent this film because of the subject matter -- the great German singing group The Comedian Harmonists, who are still popular in Europe 75 years after the events depicted in this film.
Alas, while I watched it, the sadness set in as I started to realize the inevitable was going to hit me square in the eyes.
Simply put, you just can't combine these words -- the 1930s, Germany, three Jews -- without being stung by outrage, sadness, astonishment: pick your adjective. You just KNOW what's going to happen before it happens. It's too bad, but this kind of situation becomes ultimately very predictable. This is not to say that the film isn't worth seeing -- it is. There is brilliant acting, splendid sets, a wonderful (and brutally sinister) 1930s Nazi-era 'feel,' and, of course, the music (via the dubbed, original Harmonists themselves), which is nothing short of sublime.
I think I'm going to stop watching films set in 1930s' Germany that involves Jewish characters. It was just too crushingly depressing a period. In this film, three tremendously talented Jews in the Harmonists sextet are victimized simply because they're Jews. This is a microcosm of the millions of great talents that were destroyed in 1930s-40s Europe simply because they were born 'non-Aryan,' as the Nazi euphemism would have it.
One note: a reviewer here has commented on the wildly incongruous DVD cover, which shows a cabaret-style babe in heavy lipstick peeping out from a top hat. It's obviously a ploy to attract viewers into thinking they're going to see some sexy stuff with hot dancers, when no such thing exists. Shame on those who decided to do this cover. It's really an insult to the basic subject matter of the film.
Alas, while I watched it, the sadness set in as I started to realize the inevitable was going to hit me square in the eyes.
Simply put, you just can't combine these words -- the 1930s, Germany, three Jews -- without being stung by outrage, sadness, astonishment: pick your adjective. You just KNOW what's going to happen before it happens. It's too bad, but this kind of situation becomes ultimately very predictable. This is not to say that the film isn't worth seeing -- it is. There is brilliant acting, splendid sets, a wonderful (and brutally sinister) 1930s Nazi-era 'feel,' and, of course, the music (via the dubbed, original Harmonists themselves), which is nothing short of sublime.
I think I'm going to stop watching films set in 1930s' Germany that involves Jewish characters. It was just too crushingly depressing a period. In this film, three tremendously talented Jews in the Harmonists sextet are victimized simply because they're Jews. This is a microcosm of the millions of great talents that were destroyed in 1930s-40s Europe simply because they were born 'non-Aryan,' as the Nazi euphemism would have it.
One note: a reviewer here has commented on the wildly incongruous DVD cover, which shows a cabaret-style babe in heavy lipstick peeping out from a top hat. It's obviously a ploy to attract viewers into thinking they're going to see some sexy stuff with hot dancers, when no such thing exists. Shame on those who decided to do this cover. It's really an insult to the basic subject matter of the film.