The Zookeeper's Wife (2017)

The Zookeeper's Wife tells the account of keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, who helped save hundreds of people and animals during the German invasion.

Director:

Niki Caro

Writers:

Angela Workman (screenplay), Diane Ackerman (based on the book by)

Stars:

Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, Daniel Brühl

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jessica Chastain	...	Antonina Zabinska
Johan Heldenbergh	...	Jan Zabinski
Daniel Brühl	...	Lutz Heck
Timothy Radford	...	Ryszard Zabinski (Younger)
Efrat Dor	...	Magda Gross
Iddo Goldberg	...	Maurycy Fraenkel
Shira Haas	...	Urszula
Michael McElhatton	...	Jerzyk
Val Maloku	...	Ryszard Zabinski (Older)
Martha Issová	...	Regina Kenigswein
Daniel Ratimorský	...	Samuel Kenigswein
Frederick Preston	...	Miecio Kenigswein
Theo Preston	...	Stefcio Kenigswein (as Theodore Preston)
Viktoria Zakharyanova	...	Stefania Keningswein (as Viktoria Zakharyanová)
Goran Kostic	...	Mr. Kinszerbaum

Storyline

War brews over Warsaw in 1939, and while life is still running its course, the Germans are slowly beginning to make their presence felt, with Hitler secretly preparing for the German invasion of Poland. Under those circumstances, the young couple of Jan and Antonina Zabinski continue their daily routine as owners and keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, but soon, as German Luftwaffe's Stukas hammer the Polish capital, their life's work together with the city, will turn to ashes. However, with the zoo liquidated for the war effort and many of its animals tragically perished, what was once an animals' zoo, will now serve as a sanctuary where Antonina, the humanist veterinarian, and Jan can hide the persecuted Polish Jews in plain sight until safe houses are found. That was Jan and Antonina's formidable, yet perilous plan, who regardless of the consequences, refused to wither before the Nazi menace, took matters into their own hands and sheltered 300 Jews under the Germans' noses.

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Plot Keywords:

zoo | polish german relations | shooting an animal | hiding place | strong female protagonist | 

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Taglines:

In a nation gripped by fear one woman finds the power to resist

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, disturbing images, violence, brief sexuality, nudity and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site Official Site [Austria]

Country:

Czech Republic UK USA

Language:

English German Hebrew

Release Date:

7 April 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Zookeeper's Wife

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,288,835, 31 March 2017, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$17,445,186, 27 June 2017

Company Credits

Production Co:

Scion Films, Czech Anglo Productions, LD Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In-between takes, Jessica Chastain claims she was taught "the nastiest German" swear-words by co-star Daniel Brühl.

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Goofs

The position of the rabbit held by Antonina when she talks to Urszula changes between shots.

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Quotes

Antonina Zabinski: You can never tell who your enemies are, or who to trust. Maybe that's why I love animals so much. You look in their eyes, and you know exactly what's in their hearts. They're not like people.

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Jessica Chastain/Joe Manganiello/Gary Clark Jr. (2017)

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Soundtracks

Piano Sonata No. 1, 2nd Movement, Op. 2
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Jessica Chastain

User Reviews

The Zookeeper's Wife might look cute and cuddly on the front cover, yet it lures you into a bleak and depressing story.

Another saturated topic, we typically get two or three WWII films a year. Frustratingly, this is another typical holocaust film and one that will not standout against the packed crowd. In saying that though, this is an excellent "story" film to which I was fully immersed. A factual fictionalisation of the Warsaw Zoo surviving WWII where both animals and humans are in danger. The owners soon start to hide Jewish residents within the zoo in an attempt to save their lives from the Nazi holocaust. I expected a film about zookeepers and nearby residents saving animals from Nazi capture, boy was I completely wrong. The zoo animals only take precedent during the first fifteen minutes, and then the narrative's focus is purely on the owners, Jews and the Nazi regime. Soul draining is how I would describe this. It's bleak, depressing and not an ounce of happiness until the last five minutes. Director Niki Caro captures the horror of the holocaust and does not shy away from the brutality of it. She evokes powerful imagery that isn't portrayed in the film, we see a young girl being taken into a tunnel by two Nazi soldiers. We don't see what happens, but the detail in every scene enables us to imagine the terror that unfolded. Another synonymous scene would be when Jewish children are carried onto a train. We know where it's going, but the story never informs us. It's subliminal, and that might be due to the over saturation of this genre. Jessica Chastain stars as the eponymous character in what is one of her more nuanced performances, but emotionally vulnerable. When she cries, my God I feel it. Daniel Brühl was also captivating as the Nazi zoologist. Would I have liked the focus to be strictly on the zoo animals? Yes. It would've been different, less generic and perhaps more emotive. Can I complain about what was presented instead? No. A perfectly good WWII drama that is harrowingly depressing which will not set the cinematic world alight.