Varian's War (TV 2001)

Varian Fry rescues more than 2,000 artists from Nazi persecution during World War II.

Director:

Lionel Chetwynd

Writer:

Lionel Chetwynd

Stars:

William Hurt, Julia Ormond, Matt Craven

3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Hurt	...	Varian Fry
Julia Ormond	...	Miriam Davenport
Matt Craven	...	Beamish
Maury Chaykin	...	Marcello
Alan Arkin	...	Freier
Lynn Redgrave	...	Alma Werfel-Mahler
Rémy Girard	...	Colonel Joubert (as Remy Girard)
Christopher Heyerdahl	...	Marius Franken
Gloria Carlin	...	Bella Chagall
Joel Miller	...	Marc Chagall
Vlasta Vrana	...	Franz Werfel
John Dunn-Hill	...	Heinrich Mann
Ted Whittall	...	Harry Bingham
Dorothée Berryman	...	Mme Fanny
Howard Ryshpan	...	Konditorei Owner

Storyline

After witnessing the treatment of Jews in Nazi territory made him physically sick, cultured American gentleman Varian Fry starts en emergency rescue commission to raise funds and lobby to help intellectuals and artists, especially Jews, escape from Vichy France -where the Pétain government avoid occupation only by utter collaboration- to the US, and for lack of a better volunteer personally sets out in search of them. First lady Eleanor Roosevelt personally overcomes the reticence of the State Department. In Marseille he finds the people he specifically looked for, such as Marc Chagall, already housed by Harry Bingham, a Jewish US consulate official so he starts screening less obvious candidates and examines with Miriam Davenport and a German social democrat they pass for US clergyman Beamish how some can be rescued legally, others via a clandestine route, while colonel Joubert's State Police is at their trace...

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Plot Keywords:

artist | nazi | world war two | apostrophe in title | two word title | 

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Taglines:

He changed the world forever. One person at a time. The true story of the American Schindler.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Country:

UK USA Canada

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

22 April 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Au service de la liberté

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ardent Productions, Ardglasson Productions, Barwood Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Near the beginning of the movie, Varian is holding the "Foreign Affairs" book differently depending on the camera angle.

User Reviews

Great movie with outstanding acting

Varian was not known to me before this movie and I was disappointed that the movie didn't bring out more about him and his motivations. However, both Hurt and Ormond gave fabulous performances. He had that strange "Roosevelt" gait that you see so much in the 40's and was very understated. This had the look of pretty standard Made-for-TV fare. Usually Showtime kicks it up a notch, but not this time.