21 Hours at Munich

TV Movie
19761976
14A14A
1h 41m

A dramatization of the incident in 1972 when Arab terrorists broke into the Olympic compound in Munich and murdered eleven Israeli athletes.A dramatization of the incident in 1972 when Arab terrorists broke into the Olympic compound in Munich and murdered eleven Israeli athletes.A dramatization of the incident in 1972 when Arab terrorists broke into the Olympic compound in Munich and murdered eleven Israeli athletes.

6.4/10

Director
- William A. Graham
Writers
- Edward Hume(screenplay)
- Howard Fast(screenplay)
- Serge Groussard(based on "The Blood of Israel" by)
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
- 3 nominations total

Director
- William A. Graham
Writers
- Edward Hume(screenplay)
- Howard Fast(screenplay)
- Serge Groussard(based on "The Blood of Israel" by)
All cast & crew
See more cast details at IMDbPro

The infamous attack on Israeli athletes and coaches in the Olympic Village during the 1972 Munich Olympics is chronicled in this made-for-television movie and supplemented with archive footage from the actual games. Members of the Palestinian Black September Movement kill two and hold nine others as hostages to exchange for hundreds of Arab prisoners in Israeli jails. The Israeli government adheres to its policy of not negotiating with terrorists, and German Holocaust guilt will not permit West German officials to allow the terrorists to leave the country with the hostages. Therefore, it falls to Chief of Police Manfred Schreiber to delay fulfilling the Palestinian demands through on-going negotiation, but sooner or later he knows that tough decisions will have to be made. —duke1029

year 1972 reference to hermann goring munich 1972 summer olympics 1972 summer olympics 1970s 42 more

Taglines
- The most violent episode in the history of terrorism.
Genres
Certificate
- 14A
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Trivia
Although it's not mentioned in this movie, the terrorist also demanded the release of Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof, founders of the German Red Army Faction, who were being held in German prisons.

Quotes
Chief of Police Manfred Schreiber: [Shocked when the terrorists take the helicopter pilots prisoner] What the hell are they doing?
General Zvi Zamir: [Bitterly] They are Arab terrorists. They are breaking their word.

Connections
Featured in Prefontaine (1997)

Soundtracks
Osse Shalom
By Nurit Hirsch (as Nurit Hirsh)

Top review

Good Film

21 Hours at Munich (1976)

*** (out of 4)

Pretty good made for TV movie about the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany where Arab terrorists kidnapped and murdered eleven Israeli athletes. I don't know the entire history of the events surrounding this attack but if this film stays true to what really happened then I can't help but blame the German government and their security at the Olympics. I really couldn't believe how stupid some of the decisions made where and I really wonder what this event would do in today's world where God knows there's a lot more media. As for the film itself, it's entertaining throughout but it never gets too dramatic and the direction lacks any real style or flair. William Holden gives a good performance as the head Munich guy trying to get everything done while Franco Nero steals the show as the head terrorist. Nero is downright brilliant in his part with a look that could kill. I liked how Nero played the part of a thinking man and this really comes across well.

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