Louie Malle's film is a deeply personal examination of the Holocaust, childhood friendship and accidental betrayal. Its young protagonists are affable without being overly sweet or cloying, and despite the semi-autobiographical nature of the story, Malle never gives over to cheap sentimentality the way Steven Spielberg might. While this is one of the films that got lost in the quagmire of Orion Classics, other titles from this period have been rescued and released on DVD through MGM. Long since out of print on VHS, it's shameful this film isn't readily available to those who might wish to examine the Holocaust from a different cinematic perspective, or to those seeking a powerful story that never falls prey to pathos.
Reviews
2 Reviews
The most fun I've had at a movie in years!
18 May 2002
I remember the first time I saw "Star Wars" - I was 11 years old and living in small-town Iowa. The moment the closing credits music ended and the lights came up, I knew my life would never be the same. Now I'm 36 and a jaded New Yorker, but for two and a half hours early Thursday morning, I was a kid again - thrilled to be discovering a new visual vocabulary courtesy of George Lucas, and amazed to be able to just have FUN at a movie! Say what you will about some of the dialog or a few line readings, it doesn't matter. This is "Star Wars," in all its glory - action, laughs, jaw-dropping effects, and lots of good old-fashioned cheese. I wouldn't have it any other way.
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