MovieChat Forums > Triumph of the Spirit (1989) Discussion > The Holocaust

The Holocaust

posted 14 years ago by FRANKDRAFTING
6 replies | jump to latest

I am not Jewish. I have, especially lately, watched many movies abour World War II and the treatment of minorities during the German occupation of Europe. Most of the movies are very good, but for some reason this film really hit me hard. The actors had a way of making you feel their pain, their sorrows, their fright and I came away saying I hope there is a place like heaven for them because these people had no life while here on earth. Watching the children being taken from their families really hurt. These poor people. No one deserves the sort of treatment they endured, not even hardened criminals, and all because they were Jews. I was ashamed I am Christian, as were the Germans. How can anyone, especially Christians, treat people like this? It was inhuman and this film, without too much gore, brought that aspect of man's inhumanity to man out very strongly. Now I understand why the Jewish state says "We must never forget". How could this possibly happen? Well it did and must never happen again. If there is a God, I hope he has all the people who suffered in all the wars man has gone through in paradise. The victims of war deserved a better life. This is a very good film and I strongly recommend it.

[–] markmcc-1 14 years ago

Well said and I agree with every single word.

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. An amazing accomplishment.

Acting, directing, scenery, music were all phenomenal.

[–] hamhenke 14 years ago

I agree. thought this was a very good movie depicting the holocaust . slow but deliberate,and the acting was superb, dont know why it is not more widely regarded as i would definitely put it up there alongside The Pianist and also Schindlers List.

[–] chrissso 8 years ago

The Pianist and Schindler's List??? I like this film but this is not in the same league as those films. Come on ... the little girl in the red dress ... nothing compares.

From a 2015 perspective this is a fairly pedestrian Holocaust film.

[–] BehindTheBeat 13 years ago

And to think, it happened only a relatively short time ago.

I thought similarly while I was watching this. How could the world just sit by and watch this happen? Life Magazine even did a story about the camps and the readers accused them of "propaganda."

[–] hobbes0022 12 years ago

I haven't seen The Pianist, or Schindler's List, but I don't imagine either movie can invoke the feelings I had while watching this film. Seeing the families get ripped apart when they arrive at the camp, then the horrific gas chamber scene with all the young children. And honestly, I think the worst part of it was the Psychological Warfare used on the Jews, willingly walking into the gas chambers, children in hand. And these are the things that really happened, that's what makes it extra terrible.

[–] huigh 10 years ago

"How can the world sit by?" Misinformation and disinformation.
It's still happening in Syria right now, and in North Korea, probably in Russia and China as well to political prisoners. Here in Australia perfectly legitimate asylum seekers claiming their rights as refugees under International Law are called "illegal immigrants" by the Government and packed off to hell holes on tropical islands away from Australia. More disinformation is fed to the population of Australia than real information.
And then there's Guantanamo Bay but that's different 'cos it's run by Americans and they have never mistreated anyone or tortured their prisoners have they? Well maybe a few "bad apples" in the military might have gotten a bit out of hand at Abu Ghraib but that was never condoned by the authorities, right?
And the current President, champion of open communication, so full of promise six years ago? Well he would never mislead anyone about anything, as demonstrated by Mr Snowden hmmm?
And speaking of Mr Snowden, he hasn't been demonised by any part of the American media has he?!? That's how it was for the Jews in Nazi Germany they were so misrepresented = demonised by the Nazi media that highly cultured, well educated people teated them as non-human.
If you find yourself having strong negative reactions to this post, congratulations, you just got closer to empathy with the Germans in the 30s and 40s.