Varian's War (TV 2001)Varian Fry rescues more than 2,000 artists from Nazi persecution during World War II. Director:Lionel ChetwyndWriter:Lionel Chetwynd |
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Varian's War (TV 2001)Varian Fry rescues more than 2,000 artists from Nazi persecution during World War II. Director:Lionel ChetwyndWriter:Lionel Chetwynd |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| William Hurt | ... | ||
| Julia Ormond | ... |
Miriam Davenport
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| Matt Craven | ... |
Beamish
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| Maury Chaykin | ... |
Marcello
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| Alan Arkin | ... |
Freier
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| Lynn Redgrave | ... | ||
| Rémy Girard | ... |
Colonel Joubert
(as Remy Girard)
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| Christopher Heyerdahl | ... |
Marius Franken
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Gloria Carlin | ... |
Bella Chagall
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Joel Miller | ... | |
| Vlasta Vrana | ... | ||
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John Dunn-Hill | ... | |
| Ted Whittall | ... |
Harry Bingham
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Dorothée Berryman | ... |
Mme Fanny
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Howard Ryshpan | ... |
Konditorei Owner
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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... Written by KGF Vissers
I recently stumbled across the name Varian Fry, and was intrigued by the fact that he is one of only 3 Americans to be named "Righteous Among The Nations" by Israel -- which is an award given to non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust. (Such as Oskar Schindler).
When I saw that a movie had been done about his experiences, I decided to rent it, even though it was made-for-TV.
Unfortunately, I don't think this film did justice to the emotional intensity of this period of history, or Fry's remarkable achievements. Fry's real-life story seems like it would be really juicy, but is portrayed in this film without much of the juice.
Right off the bat, I sensed that this was a cheap production. I noticed an extra who was walking in one scene, and then is seated in a wheelchair in another scene. I noticed the same prop (a photo with Joseph Kennedy) used in the background in 2 different offices. Of course, these minor goofs are not important, but they give you a sense of the low-budget flavor.
Ultimately, I give Varian's War a rating of 5 because it is hard to totally destroy this interesting tale, and because there are at least a few decent scenes and moments of genuine emotion. But overall, it lacks the charm, excitement and thrills that I am sure accompanied Varian Fry's actual adventures in France.
By the end of the film, my thirst for knowledge about this heroic American had not been quenched.