 |
Marsha Hunt's character testifies
|
Theatrical Release: Spring 1944 (USA)
Starring: Alexander Knox, Marsha Hunt, Henry Travers
Director: André De Toth
Oscar nomination: Best Original Story (Alfred Neumann, Joseph Than)
Filmed in 1944, this is a remarkable film about the Nazi atrocities made before WWII had even ended. The story focuses on one Nazi in particular, Alexander Knox's character, appropriately named Grimm. We first meet him as he returns home to his Polish village after WW1. Of German ancestry, he remains disillusioned about the German loss of WW1 (as many Germans did at the time) He tries to make a life for himself, but fails. Fails in relationships, in society (he is asked to leave the town after he commits an unspeakable crime). All the while he becomes more and more interested in the new movement lead by a certain Adolph Hitler.Imprisoned with Hitler after the 1923 revolution, he is one of the first to learn about Mein Kampf, and champions the politics in the book. Several years later, once Hitler rises to power, Grimm becomes a leading Nazi officer.
Though a fictional story, it is not an inaccurate representation of those who were brainwashed into the ideology of Hitler. Many others like him were looking for some kind of leadership and hope to believe in after WW1, and found it in the politics of Hitler. Of course, there were those that didn't agree with Hitler's politics, including members of Grimm's family. Eventually, Grimm is faced with the decision of sending his own family to a camp.In 1939, Grimm returns to his old Polish village, and discovers that many of his former friends are now dissidents. In the town square, breadlines are filmed for propaganda purposes; once the cameras shut down, the people are mocked, and many left unfed. And among other horrors, Grimm mandates that the women of the village be used as prostitutes for the officers, reflecting what really went on in these villages.
 |
| Marsha Hunt, age 92, autographed this photo for me this year |
This was one of the first movies to show a cold-blooded massacre of Jews. The disturbing scene is unlike anything you may have seen from this period.
Henry Travers plays a priest in the village, and he is good friends with the local rabbi. Both of them encourage Grimm to turn from his ways. It's a very impressive performance by Travers, especially the opening scenes where his character testifies in court at Grimm's war crimes trial.
Marsha Hunt is also very good in this film, and effective as Grimm's former fiancee. She is also one of the witnesses called to testify at the trial.
Very good makeup work in this film. Since the story spans 30 years, Knox, Travers and Hunt are all made to look younger and older than they really were.
The film ends with an urge to consider how the Nazis should be judged once the war is over (the film assumes the war will end), a fascinating concept for a picture at this time to propose, considering it was made months ahead of the Allies' landing at Normandy.
Alexander Knox is brutal and sadistic in this part of the Nazi officer, who later insists on defending himself in his trial. In these court scenes, he is defiant, and ridicules those testifying against him. These scenes reminded me of the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui a few years ago (video below). Moussaoui, a psychopathic anti-American terrorist, snickered at testimonials, and uttered the most unbelievable things such as what you see in the illustration.Over 60 years later, the world still has people with a mindset like Grimm's. The question for our generation could be, how shall we handle them?