Max (I) (2002)

A film studying the depiction of a friendship between an art dealer named Rothman and his student, Adolf Hitler.

Director:

Menno Meyjes

Writer:

Menno Meyjes

Stars:

John Cusack, Noah Taylor, Leelee Sobieski

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Cusack	...	Max Rothman
Noah Taylor	...	Adolf Hitler
Leelee Sobieski	...	Liselore von Peltz
Molly Parker	...	Nina Rothman
Ulrich Thomsen	...	Captain Mayr
David Horovitch	...	Max's Father
Janet Suzman	...	Max's Mother
András Stohl	...	NCO
John Grillo	...	Nina's Father
Anna Nygh	...	Nina's Mother
Krisztián Kolovratnik	...	Nina's Brother
Peter Capaldi	...	David Cohn
Yuliya Vysotskaya	...	Hildegard
János Kulka	...	Mr. Epp
Katalin Pálfy	...	Mrs. Epp

Storyline

Munich, 1918. German-Jew Max Rothman has returned to much of his pre-war life which includes to his wife Nina and their two children, to his mistress Liselore von Peltz, and to his work as an art dealer. He has however not returned to being an aspiring painter as he lost his dominant right arm during the war. He is approached by an aspiring painter, a thirty-year old Austrian war veteran named Adolf Hitler, who wants him to show his works. Although he doesn't think the paintings are all that original and he doesn't really like Hitler as a person, Rothman takes Hitler under his wings if only because of their camaraderie of being war veterans, and knowing that Hitler had nothing and no one to come back to after the war unlike himself. Rothman believes that Hitler has promise if only he can find his original artistic point of view. In part out of need for money, Hitler, on the urging of Captain Karl Mayr, agrees to work for the army as a political spokesman in anti-Semitic propaganda. ...

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Plot Keywords:

art | art dealer | politics | painter | artist | 

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Taglines:

Art + Politics = Power

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

Hungary Canada UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 June 2003 (UK)

Also Known As:

Hoffman

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$30,157 (USA) (27 December 2002)

Gross:

$527,019 (USA) (28 February 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

AAMPI Inc., Aconit Pictures, Alliance Atlantis Communications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Writer/director Menno Meyjes reports that before the script was written, Steven Spielberg's Amblin company was interested in the project. But Spielberg told Meyjes he couldn't bring himself to help make a movie he thought would dishonor Holocaust survivors. Nevertheless, he considered the script an excellent one and encouraged the director to push for its realization, but without Amblin.

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Goofs

During the World War One period and immediately after Adolf Hitler sported a traditional "handlebar"-type mustache. He adopted his trademark "comb" mustache shortly thereafter. In any event, all known photographs of Hitler as an adult show him with a mustache of some style.

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Quotes

Art patron/friend of Max's: Hitler? Never heard of him.
Max Rothman: You will.

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Connections

Referenced in Children of the Setting Suns (2006)

User Reviews

Powerful Performance by Noah Taylor

There are only 2 actors you need to watch: John Cusack and Noah Taylor. John Cusack plays a rich Jewish art dealer who tries to help a not-so-young unknown artist find his "inner voice." The two go through the art world and all its patrons.

Max Rothman, played by Cusack, is an intelligent nihilist who tries to guide this unknown into finding the core of his artistic endeavor. And the not-so-young unknown artist, played utterly convincingly - utterly committed - utterly profoundly, by Noah Taylor is Adolf Hitler.

I have been glued to my seat before with films and movies, but this goes beyond those films and movies. I usually get a sense of focus on the action, script and scenery. This time it is utter silence. I was listening and watching for every nuance ... and Mr. Taylor's performance is nothing but unbelievably wondrous. It is 100.000% utter professional commitment to the role. Mr. Taylor disappears and Hitler, the evil maniacal horror emerges. I was GLUED to my seat like never before... I was sorry to see this movie end. His performance was just so amazing to watch. I can't compare it to anyone else's acting since Mr. Taylor has gone beyond any performance ever before ... and maybe ever again! 20/10.

-LD

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my faith: http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/jbc33/