With A-level acting by Tom Conti, Eli Wallach and the great Rachel Roberts (in a cameo),THE WALL ends up being pretty effective and memorable. Much of the first 2/3 of the film seem stagy, betraying the origins as a stage play based on Hersey's novel. But the actors are mostly above average and quickly make you forget they are only performing. The horror of this story increases until the final hour when it goes into full gear, with shocking, graphic violence and psychological torment. The Polish locations lend a chilling authenticity to this film as well. Not one of the very greatest Holocaust films, but a pretty decent one.
