Perlasca: Un eroe italiano (2002 TV Movie)
10/10
Schindler's List part II
31 January 2003
The title summarizes it all: this is a second version of Schindler's List: a fascist who finally saves the jews by all means he has... What's the big difference?

First of all, it's the peculiar setting in time and place. During World War II, Hungary chose the side of the Axis, until Horthy, the dictator seeked for contact with the Allies in 1944 (the walls of the Third Reich were crumbling at that time). Hitler then supported the Hungarian Nazi's (who never were a part of the regime of Horthy), the Arrow Cross Party, to take control. They immediately introduced a severe jew prosecution and extermination. These facts are little known. So, it's strange to see the uniforms and symbols of the Hungarian Nazi's, because they are unfamiliar to us.

Second, where Spielberg was a bit wary of showing too many horror, the Italians didn't hide a thing. For instance the mass execution scene where couples were tied up on each other and the husband executed, dumped in the Danube so the wife drowned isn't suitable for children.

This movie may be stamped forever as Schindler's List II, but it's better.
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