dvd-2 Reviews

Wohin und zurück - Teil 1: An uns glaubt Gott nicht mehr - Ferry oder Wie es war (1982 TV Movie)

Axel Corti's Childhood in the Holocaust in Austria Part 1

[6 December 1998]

This wonderful filmmaker captures the increasing disaster of life in Austria as a Jew in the late 30's and 40's. It is part of a trilogy made with Georg Stefan Troller, called Where To and Back. This film was originally made for Austrian Television, and has since been released in 35MM. The setting is the day after Krystalnacht, and this extraordinary film (of 3) follows a youth's attempt to avoid deportation as he flies to Prague, then Marseilles, joining with a renegade German officer and other Jews. The pursuit and the escape gets worse and worse.

The second film is Santa Fe, following the arrival in NYC of a ship from Europe, and the Austrians try to make new lives.

The third film is Welcome In Vienna where one of the Austrians is an American soldier sent back to Austria to interrogate prisoners. This is the only one originally released for theatrical distribution (they all are now).

Armin Mueller-Stahl plays the Dachau escaped German officer who befriends two of the Austrians, and this is one of his great performances. But ALL the actors are perfect for their parts, their roles, the casting is exceptional.

Emil und die Detektive (1954)

My first film in 1956! I liked it.

[6 December 1998]

Erich Kastner wrote the story about a young boy who is drugged and robbed of some money which was pinned into his clothing by his mother. He is, of course, horrified, and rather than tell her the truth, he enlists the help of an army of young detectives. It reminds me of the pursuit of the psychotic child killer Peter Lorre in M, 1931. Later remakes are universally boring and tepid.