"Holocaust" (1978) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.5/10   

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

16 April 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance | War

Plot:

The saga of a Jewish family's struggle to survive the horror of Nazi Germany's systematic marginalization and extermination of their community.

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Germany | Lawyer | Doctor | Anti Semitism

Awards:

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 14 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Tom Bell	...	Adolf Eichmann (2 episodes)
Joseph Bottoms	...	Rudi Weiss (2 episodes)
Tovah Feldshuh	...	Helena Slomova (2 episodes)
Rosemary Harris	...	Berta Palitz Weiss (2 episodes)
Tony Haygarth	...	Heinz Muller (2 episodes)
Michael Moriarty	...	Erik Dorf (2 episodes)
Deborah Norton	...	Marta Dorf (2 episodes)
George Rose	...	Lowy (2 episodes)
Robert Stephens	...	Uncle Kurt Dorf (2 episodes)
Meryl Streep	...	Inga Helms Weiss (2 episodes)
Sam Wanamaker	...	Moses Weiss (2 episodes)
David Warner	...	Heydrich (2 episodes)
Fritz Weaver	...	Dr. Josef Weiss (2 episodes)
James Woods	...	Karl Weiss (2 episodes)
John Bailey	...	Hans Frank (2 episodes)
Michael Beck	...	Hans Helms (2 episodes)
Käte Jaenicke	...	Frau Lowy (2 episodes)
Charles Korvin	...	Dr. Kohn (2 episodes)
Stanley Lebor	...	Zalman (2 episodes)
Cyril Shaps	...	Weinberg (2 episodes)

Also Known As:

"Holocaust: The Story of the Family Weiss" (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

475 min | USA:420 min (DVD) (2008) | Finland:448 min (DVD) (2008)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2008) (DVD)

Filming Locations:

Austria

Company:

Titus Productions

Trivia:

When this was aired on German television, police station switchboards were flooded with confessional calls during the "Krystallnacht" scene, where people were smashing the windows of synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses. People who had participated in the actual event were calling to confess their participation, but the Statute of Limitation had taken effect, and no actions could be taken, despite their confessions.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: On Kristallnacht, occurring in 1938, Reinhard Heydrich wears a type of collar insignia that the SS did not use until 1942.

Quotes:

Reinhard Heydrich: No party affiliation.
Erik Dorf: Well, not until this moment.
Reinhard Heydrich: Why the sudden interest?
Erik Dorf: I need a job.
Reinhard Heydrich: Now that is refreshing. You don't know how many braggarts I have to listen to. Sycophants and connivers full of love for the party, the Fuhrer, the Reich. Such a relief to talk to a man who just wants a job.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Seinfeld: The Bubble Boy (#4.7)" (1992)

Holocaust **** Never to Forget

One of the most outstanding television mini-series that was ever made. Obviously, this won the Emmy for best mini-series and was truly well deserved.

The story deals with the Weiss Family of Germany. They thought that they were true Germans never believing that they would be caught up in the madness of Hitler's Nazi Germany.

Despite the warnings of Dr. Weiss's patient,Dorf, who quickly rises in the Nazi hierarchy, the Weiss Family remains in Germany as Hitler seized power and the nightmare for the Jewish people begins.

This series made stars of Michael Moriarty.(Dorf) He plays the character drawn into the Nazi party with a chilling unfeeling for humanity rarely seen in movies. Dorf would be the typical character who would have said that he was forced into doing what he did since he was caught up in this period of frenzy. His ambitious, evil wife also helped push him into this way of life. Meryl Streep and James Woods also became well known as a result of this masterpiece production.

Nothing was hidden in making this grand production. You see the kosher butcher stores fall victim to Kristallnacht-the night of breaking glass. You see victims being marched off to the gas chambers.

This was certainly movie making at its best. Even the mini-series of todays are lacking in contact, interest and boldness of production.