Rua Alguem 5555: My Father (2003)

A man who grew up an orphan finally gets to meet his father: The psychopath Dr. Josef Mengele, the Auschwitz surgeon who performed genetic experiments on concentration camp refugees during WWII.

Director:

Egidio Eronico

Writers:

Egidio Eronico (screenplay), Antonella Grassi (screenplay)

Stars:

Thomas Kretschmann, Charlton Heston, F. Murray Abraham

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Hermann M.
Charlton Heston	...	The Father (Josef Mengele)
F. Murray Abraham	...	Paul Minsky
Thomas Heinze	...	Robert S.
Denise Weinberg	...	Magdalena Weinert
Odilon Wagner	...	Wolfgang Weinert
Camilo Beviláqua	...	Jens Keitel
Petra Reinhardt	...	Young Hermann's Mother (as Petra Maria Reinhardt)
Marit Nissen	...	Young Aunt Lotte
Ivan de Almeida	...	Policeman at the Front Desk - Manaus
András Stohl	...	Werner M.
Áron Sipos	...	Hörst Baumann (as Aron Sipos)
Ida Gomes	...	Old Jewish Woman at the Cemetery
Debbie Javor	...	Old Aunt Lotte
Marcos Breda	...	Samuel Lifton

Storyline

A man who grew up an orphan finally gets to meet his father: The psychopath Dr. Josef Mengele, the Auschwitz surgeon who performed genetic experiments on concentration camp refugees during WWII.

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | father son relationship | war criminal | german | based on novel | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Country:

Italy Brazil Hungary

Language:

English German Hungarian Portuguese

Release Date:

12 October 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Josef Mengele - My Father - Rua Alguém 5555

Filming Locations:

Belém, Pará, Brazil

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gam Film S.r.l., Total Entertainment, Focus Film Filmproduction & Distribution

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is the final movie Charlton Heston filmed. It was shot in late 2001. Heston publicly acknowledged that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease on August 12, 2002.

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Connections

Features The Immigrant (1917)

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Soundtracks

Vem Morena
Music by Luiz Gonzaga

User Reviews

My Father, Rua Alguem 5555 (2003) ***

The last starring film of Charlton Heston, and a respectable swan song for one of the finest American actors of the 20th Century. This is a story based on the real life Nazi villain Dr. Josef Mengele, who was the despised Auschwitz surgeon who performed atrocities on children. Heston plays the elderly criminal (who is never referred to by name in the film), who is reviled, and has spent the last thirty years moving from country to country and living as a fugitive from justice. Mengele's orphaned son Hermann (Thomas Kretschmann) has never seen his infamous father but has endured a terrible life of persecution for being the offspring of this hated murderer. When the alleged bones of the six-year's-deceased elder Mengele are dug up in 1985, Hermann grants an interview to a Jewish lawyer (F. Murray Abraham) telling all he knows about his dad. Through his memories we are taken back eight years to the one time Hermann risked a dangerous journey to a dirty shanty town hut in Brazil, to confront his notorious father, seek some mental resolution within himself, and to possibly turn him over to the police.

This is a good little film that was made in late 2001 and - as of the date of this review - has not been released in the U.S. It is especially of note as being Charlton Heston's last movie, just before he announced publicly that he was experiencing symptoms of Alzheimers. While Heston may seem wrong for the part to some upon first thought, he actually turns in a fine last performance and is completely convincing as the complex German doctor. Thomas Kretcshmann is acceptable as his disturbed son, and F. Murray Abraham is his reliable self as the lawyer defending the survivors of Mengele's crimes. It's not an exceptional film, and I had to watch it twice in order to be sure of the back and forth time switching, but I came out satisfied. It's certainly recommended, particularly for fans of Chuck Heston. *** out of ****