IMDb on iPhone and iPod touch Learn more Learn more Download from the App Store
IMDb > Triumph of the Spirit (1989)

Triumph of the Spirit (1989) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 5 | slideshow) Videos
Triumph of the Spirit (1989) -- Clip: Edward James Olmos, Willem Dafoe

Overview

User Rating:
6.9/10   671 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Shimon Arama (story) &
Zion Haen (story) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Triumph of the Spirit on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 April 1990 (Sweden) more
Genre:
Plot:
Fact based story about a former Greek Olympic boxer (Dafoe) who was taken as a prisoner during World war II and placed in the Auschwitz prison camp... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
Confronting the hard choices more (12 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Willem Dafoe ... Salamo Arouch

Edward James Olmos ... Gypsy

Robert Loggia ... Father Arouch
Wendy Gazelle ... Allegra
Kelly Wolf ... Elena

Costas Mandylor ... Avram Arouch
Kario Salem ... Jacko
Edward Zentara ... Janush

Hartmut Becker ... Maj. Rauscher
Burkhard Heyl ... Aide to Rauscher
Zofia Saretok ... Momma
Grazyna Krukówna ... Sister Julie
Karolina Twardowska ... Bemmi
Juranda Krol ... Sarah
Wiktor Mlynarczyk ... Beppo
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
120 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Shot on location at the actual Auschwitz death camp. This was first film production that was permitted to shoot at the actual camp. Some of the existing structures were utilized in the production, however, the camp's crematorium had to be recreated since the actual crematorium condition had greatly deteriorated over the years. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: In the movie, Salamo Arouch was depicted as having married "Allegra" shortly before being sent to Auschwitz. In reality, Arouch met her for the first time after they had both been liberated from Auschwitz in 1945 and were subsequently married. Furthermore, "Allegra" was a name used by the writers for artistic reasons, his wife's real name was Marta Yechiel. more
Movie Connections:

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful.
Confronting the hard choices, 21 February 2002
Author: Tony Rocchi (tonyrocchi@yahoo.com) from Toronto, Ontario

Triumph of the Spirit is a film about people who have made choices in one of the most horrific situations--the Auschwitz death camp. Think of all the choices made by Salamo Arousch and those nearest to him. His sister Julie chooses to stay with her little girl rather than give the child over to her mother and thus get picked for the labour camp (somewhat curious that the SS officer doing the selection gave Julie the option of living). Avram refuses to join the Sonderkommando and is killed by the Nazis. Salamo chooses to box to keep his father alive a little while longer. Allegra chooses to believe her sister Helena who has chosen to make up a story about pregnancy. Jocko Levy has chosen to become a Kapo only to be tossed out by the Nazis when he is no longer healthy.

It was the magnitude of the choices that stunned me when I saw the film when it came out. The film presents us with an unrelenting series of situations and choices to be made. How would any of us have behaved if we had been in the same situation?

Triumph of the Spirit made me squirm because it showed me just how complex the Holocaust experience was for individuals who had to make life and death decisions. This is what lifts Triumph of the Spirit way above most other Holocaust films.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (12 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Triumph of the Spirit (1989)

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
La tregua Europa Europa Paragraph 175 The Believer The Brylcreem Boys
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Biography section IMDb USA section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.