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Max

  • 20022002
  • RR
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
8.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Max (2002)
Post
Play trailer1:30
2 Videos
64 Photos
  • Drama
  • War

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

IMDb RATING
6.4/10
8.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Menno Meyjes
  • Writer
    • Menno Meyjes
  • Stars
    • John Cusack
    • Noah Taylor
    • Leelee Sobieski
Top credits
  • Director
    • Menno Meyjes
  • Writer
    • Menno Meyjes
  • Stars
    • John Cusack
    • Noah Taylor
    • Leelee Sobieski
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 90User reviews
    • 71Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations

    Videos2

    Max
    Trailer 1:30
    Max
    Max
    Trailer 2:15
    Max

    Photos64

    John Cusack in Max (2002)
    John Cusack in Max (2002)
    Molly Parker in Max (2002)
    John Cusack and Molly Parker in Max (2002)
    Noah Taylor in Max (2002)
    John Cusack in Max (2002)
    Molly Parker in Max (2002)
    John Cusack and Noah Taylor in Max (2002)
    Noah Taylor in Max (2002)
    John Cusack in Max (2002)
    John Cusack and Noah Taylor in Max (2002)
    John Cusack in Max (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Cusack
    John Cusack
    • Max Rothmanas Max Rothman
    Noah Taylor
    Noah Taylor
    • Adolf Hitleras Adolf Hitler
    Leelee Sobieski
    Leelee Sobieski
    • Liselore von Peltzas Liselore von Peltz
    Molly Parker
    Molly Parker
    • Nina Rothmanas Nina Rothman
    Ulrich Thomsen
    Ulrich Thomsen
    • Captain Mayras Captain Mayr
    David Horovitch
    David Horovitch
    • Max's Fatheras Max's Father
    Janet Suzman
    Janet Suzman
    • Max's Motheras Max's Mother
    András Stohl
    • NCOas NCO
    John Grillo
    John Grillo
    • Nina's Fatheras Nina's Father
    Anna Nygh
    • Nina's Motheras Nina's Mother
    Krisztián Kolovratnik
    • Nina's Brotheras Nina's Brother
    Peter Capaldi
    Peter Capaldi
    • David Cohnas David Cohn
    Yuliya Vysotskaya
    Yuliya Vysotskaya
    • Hildegardas Hildegard
    János Kulka
    • Mr. Eppas Mr. Epp
    Kata Pálfi
    • Mrs. Eppas Mrs. Epp
    • (as Katalin Pálfy)
    Kevin McKidd
    Kevin McKidd
    • George Groszas George Grosz
    Heather Cameron-McLintock
    • Ada Rothmanas Ada Rothman
    • (as Heather Cameron)
    Joel Pitts
    • Paul Rothmanas Paul Rothman
    • Director
      • Menno Meyjes
    • Writer
      • Menno Meyjes
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit
    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. Slowly, Hitler's view becomes a holistic one of a new world, where he begins to meld his art and politics. Rothman becomes excited about Hitler's artistic viewpoint, despite its anti-Semitic bent. The question becomes if the sentiments behind the view will take over its artistic merit. —Huggo
    • art dealer
    • painter
    • mistress
    • jewish
    • scantily clad female
    • 144 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Art + Politics = Power
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • War
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      To help get this controversial movie financed, producer/star John Cusack took no salary for acting in the lead role.
    • Goofs
      The family gathers to listen to the reports of the Armistice Agreement Terms (November 1918) on a radio. However, broadcasting in Germany didn't start until 1923 and was strictly experimental and limited before that.
    • Quotes

      Max Rothman: So you're an anti-Semite.

      Adolf Hitler: On the contrary, I admire the Jews.

      Max Rothman: Really?

      Adolf Hitler: Yes, they're very intelligent people.

      Max Rothman: Well, there are intelligent ones and not so intelligent ones...

      Adolf Hitler: No, no, no, they're all intelligent because they guard the purity of their blood.

      Max Rothman: The what?

      Adolf Hitler: The purity of the blood. Because the secret of the Jews lies in their pure Jewish blood. That's why they're the mightiest counterpart to the Aryan race.

      Max Rothman: What's the secret?

      Adolf Hitler: Is your father Jewish?

      Max Rothman: Yes, he is.

      Adolf Hitler: Mother?

      Max Rothman: Why not ask whether she's a German? Isn't that a far more relevant question?

      Adolf Hitler: Mensch! Of course your mom's Jewish.

      Max Rothman: You're an awfully hard man to like, Hitler, but I'm gonna try, because if I've learned anything over the past four years, it's that we all shit the same, scream the same, and die the same.

      Adolf Hitler: There's no need for vulgarity, Rothman.

      Max Rothman: I know where you've been and God knows we've all been turned into assholes there. Now listen to me well: you may not think you're an anti-Semite, but in fact you are.

      Adolf Hitler: I'm not.

      Max Rothman: But in this, as in all things, there's a reason. Your own hero Nietzsche said anti-Semitism is the ideology of those who feel cheated.

      Adolf Hitler: How do you know Nietzsche's my hero?

      Max Rothman: Because you've obviously skimmed his ideas.

      Adolf Hitler: Well, I don't feel cheated.

      Max Rothman: Excellent. Then stop acting like it.

      Adolf Hitler: Are you gonna smoke another cigarette? You just put one out.

      Max Rothman: Exactly. But now where is my instinct, my secret instinct for self-preservation, I ask you? I've heard these theories all my life: blood science, eugenics; it's rubbish. It's complete nonsense. It's kitsch. Put it out of your mind. It's not modern. It's not scientific. It will hold you back as an artist.

    • Connections
      Featured in Cinemania: I anodos kai i ptosi tou Nazismou (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      Happy Birthday
      (uncredited)

      Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill

    User reviews90

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    There is no future in the future
    Greetings again from the darkness. What a phenomenal script! Dealing with the absolute most controversial subject possible, Menno Meyjes (writer and director), provides a fascinating look at the early years of history's most despised figure. "What if" Hitler's art had won over his politics? So much of history would have changed, one can only imagine. As a matter of fact, how about a script showing what could have been? This one teases us with the fork in the road. Noah Taylor is absolutely chilling as a frustrated Hitler, just back form WWI and struggling to find his place in a crippled Germany. John Cusack, as art dealer Max Rothman, is tremendous in what is truly his first role as an adult (no wise-ass or chick flick here). Comparing the two and how they deal with post-war syndrome is enthralling. So similar, yet so different. I doubt this film gets made without Cusack and I doubt it will find much of an audience due to the fear of many to this day to even entertain the thought of Hitler as a human being. Trust me, this is not a sympathetic view of Hitler, merely a glimpse into his formation. Molly Parker has a nice turn as Cusack's wife. Where has she been? More than 20 film credits and I don't recognize her! It is always a pleasure to see Leelee Sobieski ("Joy Ride") although she has very little to do in this one. Wonderful script, mediocre direction and two fabulous performances make this one worth seeing ... although, sadly, very few will.
    helpful•32
    6
    • ferguson-6
    • Feb 7, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 20, 2003 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • Hungary
      • Canada
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hoffman
    • Filming locations
      • Budapest, Hungary
    • Production companies
      • AAMPI Inc.
      • Aconit Pictures
      • Alliance Atlantis Communications
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $11,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $539,879
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $30,157
      • Dec 29, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $660,763
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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