Good (2008)

John Halder, a German literature professor in the 1930s, is initially reluctant to accept the ideas of the Nazi Party. He is pulled in different emotional directions by his wife, mother, mistress and Jewish friend.

Director:

Vicente Amorim

Writers:

C.P. Taylor (stage play), John Wrathall (screenplay)

Stars:

Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Viggo Mortensen	...	Halder
Jason Isaacs	...	Maurice
Jodie Whittaker	...	Anne
Steven Mackintosh	...	Freddie
Mark Strong	...	Bouhler
Gemma Jones	...	Mother
Anastasia Hille	...	Helen
Ruth Gemmell	...	Elisabeth
Ralph Riach	...	Brunau
Steven Elder	...	Eichmann
Kevin Doyle	...	Commandant
David de Keyser	...	Mandelstam
Guy Henry	...	Doctor
Adrian Schiller	...	Goebbels
Rick Warden	...	Brownshirt

Storyline

John Halder is a 'good' and decent individual with family problems: a neurotic wife, two demanding children and a mother suffering from senile dementia. A literary professor, Halder explores his personal circumstances in a novel advocating compassionate euthanasia. When the book is unexpectedly enlisted by powerful political figures in support of government propaganda, Halder finds his career rising in an optimistic current of nationalism and prosperity. Seemingly inconsequential decisions lead to choices, which lead to more choices... with eventually devastating effect.

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Plot Keywords:

national socialism | heil hitler | censorship | corpse | looking at oneself in a mirror | 

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Taglines:

Anything that makes people happy can't be bad, can it?

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK Germany Hungary Cayman Islands

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

11 December 2008 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

El principio del mal

Filming Locations:

Hungary

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,508, 4 January 2009

Gross USA:

$27,276

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,549,251

Company Credits

Production Co:

Good Films Collective, Miromar Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Viggo Mortensen says that, during the costume fitting for the Nazi uniform, he felt that it was never quite fit right. He eventually realized this was due to his reluctance to see himself in Nazi colors.

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Goofs

In the scene, when Halder takes a walk with his ex-wife in the cemetery, which is supposed to be in Berlin, Germany, Hungarian names are clearly visible on the gravestones.

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Quotes

[Anne coughs from another room]
Halder: It's... it's another one of my students.
Helen: Oh.
Halder: Soaking wet, poor thing. Can't very well go home on a night like this.
Helen: Mm.
Halder: I've made up a bed.
Helen: [sighs] Will he be warm enough?

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Soundtracks

The Jews' Song - Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, 4th movement
Written by Gustav Mahler

User Reviews

I fell for Maurice

I never give much attention to the titles of films. Usually titles represent an idea of a film, or a line, or a character. The context of "Good" implies that it was wanted to say "Virtuous people" by the title.

Were SS good people? Decent? Average? Normal? OK? Bearable? "Good" presents a point of view of a person who thought himself to be virtuous, but then faced a society which was completely different, but thought so too.

Viggo Mortensem gives us an interesting character with it's ups and downs, and these ups and downs are in the behavior of a character, not the acting.

Furthermore, it was not the acting or an idea that dragged the film down and bored me or others at certain moments. It was the fact that WWII has been discussed for many times, so there are only minor differences between one film and the other.

Those who haven't watched a lot of WWII films or who would like to see one more example of censure will like "Good".