MOVIE REVIEW: On Seeing “Amen”
By Pano
Douvos
When we understand the
Holocaust was the most important moment of the 20th century it is no surprise
that movie makers have joined those trying to fathom the cause and the meaning
of the murder by the Germans of 6 million Jews. The search continues in Costa
Gravas’ currently showing film “Amen”... with mixed
results.
Garvas is universally famed for his
Academy Award film “Z” which eulogized the Greek left-wing
politician assassinated by the rightist Greek government backed by the British
and by the American CIA after the war.
In
“Amen” he indicts the hypocritical silence of the Pope who sits on
his knowledge of the atrocities being committed by the Germans against the Jews
during World War II. The film is propelled by the actions of an S.S. man who
attempts to get the Vatican to intervene and to stop the mass
genocide.
Garvas was quoted as
saying that “We try to understand how 40,000 people – men and women
– for four years got up every morning and spent the day killing
Jews.
As a World War II infantryman
I was just outside the concentration camp at Dachau during the freeing of the
Jewish prisoners there. I saw some near death who surely never made it. Thus I
find the portrayal of the S.S. man as a sympathetic character
jarring.
“Amen’s”
indication that Germans were good family people, that they loved children, that
civilians were forced into bomb shelters that many of their military were
casualties on the Russian front possibly was factual. This does not remove the
indelible stain of world destruction from German heads. My attention goes to
their many millions of victims.
Costa-Garvas wanted to see Germans as humans, to create a film “that gives
an account of how the other side works.” After mulling over German
playwright Rolf Hochhuth’s 1963 play “The Deputy” he has now
brought out his own filmic variation after 40 years. In my view, a few more
months of thought could have changed some decisions.
He can be credited, though, with
this first clear filming depiction of the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. My
stance, however, is that his film’s meaning was soft-pedaled, the images
often subtle where they could have been ratcheted up for a stronger
statement.
We do see the S.S. man
coming forward and attempting to offer evidence of the murders being committed
in the gas chambers. His presenting this to an anti-semitic Catholic church and
asking it to deny its faith and age-old beliefs and to speak out to save the
Jews... forget it. His other decision to stay in Germany to enlighten his
countrymen about the crematoriums; to enlighten a nation of Neanderthals...
forget it.
Another big misstep, the
SSer chose not to seek help from his newsman contact from neutral Sweden. He
failed to leave Germany to give eye-witness account of the gassings. He never
shared his knowledge of the camps and the rail lines leading to them. His
testimony could have forced the world to admit to and act on the truth, with the
resultant saving of thousands of
lives.
“Amen” does come
through, however, in a demonstration of the moral bankruptcy of the Catholic
church with a clear enactment of a clergyman at war’s end personally
assisting Nazi Dr. Death Mengele on his boat ride to
Argentina.
Costa Garvas yet could
have hit stronger in showing the fate of the Jews by using actual war-time film
footage, for instance. In “Amen” the Jews are essentially
“off-stage” except for a couple of incidents of random murders. The
symbolism of the trains constantly entering and leaving the camps first loaded
and then unloaded was subtle and effective - but not strong enough to best
portray the senseless carnage.
We must
credit Costa-Garvas for the dramatic energy of his films; an almost crime-story
feel permeates “Amen”..even though I looked for more attention to
the hard ugly facts of the war. Maybe I am looking for a different film - one
featuring the German Holocaust
deniers.
Those who
“didn’t know” would be examined... “Didn’t
know” about the camps of death by efficient gassing. They believed the
Jews were going to work camps- and, oh yes, their stolen homes and assets would
be somehow miraculously returned to them. Somehow the guards, their families and
friends at the camps “didn’t know,” and the railway people and
their family and friends “didn’t know” and the townspeople
near the camps “didn’t know.” “Didn’t know”
what the constant smell and smoke was all about....the average German
knew.
We await a straight-on film
picturing Germans honestly showing contrition for their causing modern
history’s greatest calamity. Some historical reports speak of World War II
total deaths of 55 million...55 million! Two million Jews in the concentration
camps, plus 4 million in the gas chambers. America lost 500,000 military killed
in action. France two and one half million. Russia 27 million (7.5 military and
19 million civilian.. 19 million! There some reports of a much higher count. The
complete role includes among others countless Italians, Poles, British,
Australian, communists, gays and
gypsys.
So I can do without the man
in the black uniform and a death-head insignia on his hat. I can forego studies
into the psychological causes behind German atrocities. We will never forget the
55 million dead. We must not for a moment suspend moral judgement. We will never
forget...
That’s where my
viewing “Amen” took me. It is a film of importance. And worth noting
your reaction. Despite my reservations concerning “Amen” I honor
Costa-Garvas, who examines serious topics with creative flare. He’s one in
a smallish group. His film offers very timely reminders at this juncture of
world history.
Posted: Sat
- March 1, 2003 at 06:48 PM