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Stefan Ruzowitzky, The Counterfeiters
05/01/2008 The horror of the Holocaust is territory frequently explored on film, which is why you may wonder what new material writer-director Stefan Ruzowitzky could offer with The Counterfeiters. A true story of a master counterfeiter who, while in a concentration camp, bartered his skills for better living conditions, "The Counterfeiters" is an emotionally and morally challenging film that proves that there are still many stories to be told from this tragic period. Salomon Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics) is a Russian-Jewish master forger living in Berlin. When sent to the Sachsenhausen camp, he strikes a deal with Nazi officer Herzog (Devid Striescow) that guarantees him a soft bed, enough food, and a smaller chance of losing his life before the end of the war. With a team of other skilled prisoners, Sorowitsch works to perfect the forgery of British pound notes and the American dollar for the Nazis. This top-secret project, entitled "Operation Bernhard," is what the Nazis hope will enable them to flood the economies of England and the United States in order to destabilize the world's economy and shift matters in their favor. The Counterfeiters is based on a memoir by Adolf Burger, who is portrayed in the film by August Diehl. Burger, who is currently in his 90s, was a left-wing activist appalled at Sorowitsch's and his fellow inmates' willingness to help the Nazis. As the team works to successfully pull off the dollar, Burger continually attempts sabotage, a move which endangers not only his life but that of the other prisoners. Burger seems to be the moral tent pole in the film, a stark contrast to Sorowitsch's character, who has been a criminal for most of his life. This story could easily have been told in documentary format, but doing so would have kept the audience at a distance from the emotional turmoil present throughout the story. The shaky, hand-held camera and frequent point-of-view shots put us in a prisoner's shoes and consequently plunges us into these characters' reality. The Counterfeiters touches on a wide range of emotions including anger, guilt, and confusion. In The Counterfeiters, the prisoners are treated like animals simply for being Jewish, but they don't suffer quite as badly as their families and friends do only because they possess certain skills desired by the Nazis. Though appreciative of the soft beds and regular meals, these men cannot help but feel guilty for finding a better situation for themselves at the expense of others and to help the Nazi effort. The Counterfeiters not only provides us with the expected juxtaposition of "Nazi" and "Jew," but adds depth to the portrayals of the characters by adding a layer of "good" and "bad." Our protagonist is a criminal with questionable morals, separating him from the typical unfortunate victim. Sorowitsch challenges viewers with his stone-faced determination that makes him appear to feel that he is above his situation. However, actor Markovics shows true emotion when faced with the cruel reality of his surroundings. At several points during the film, Sorowitsch is painfully reminded of what lies beyond the door that keeps him and his team secreted away from the rest of the camp. He may not have any moral disagreement with the printing of fake money to help his captors, but he's got heart where it counts. The Counterfeiters is a powerful film that brings a new level of audience participation to the horrible events of WWII (as if we didn't already have enough moral qualms about the Nazi party). Awarded this year's Academy Award for best foreign language film, The Counterfeiters is only one of probably a million stories from this time, but it is one that will stand out for years to come. Comments [post a comment]Comments are closed |
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Friday, March 12, 2010
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The Counterfeiters Salomon Sorowitsch The Holocaust Nazi Germany Stefan Ruzowitzky Foreign Film Oscars Cinema Review