This historical drama chronicles the struggle of Swedish businessman Raoul Wallenberg (Stella Skarsgard), as he fought valiantly to save the lives of the Jewish residents of Nazi-occupied Budapest. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
This historical drama chronicles the struggle of Swedish businessman Raoul Wallenberg (Stella Skarsgard), as he fought valiantly to save the lives of the Jewish residents of Nazi-occupied Budapest. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
Until I watched the Director's notes on the DVD, I was a bit confused. I knew a little about Raoul Wallenberg before watching this film. I found it to be haunting; the kind of movie that stays with you after you've finished it. Stellan Skarsgard is one of my favorite actors. He is very convincing as Wallenberg and does a superb job of portraying the oftentimes exhausted yet relentless hero. I recommend this movie to everyone. We should all know what happened in the past in order not to repeat it.
The acting in this movie was exceptional, especially by the actor who played Mr. Wallenberg. This is a little known story of a Swede that put his life in danger during WWII in his attempts to save as many Jews as possible. The portrayal of the anguish and frustration he experienced was shown on his face in a believable way numerous times. The story is, of course, painful to watch as all stories of the Holocaust are.
Much of this unforgettable film takes place in war-torn Budapest, where young Swedish businessman Raoul Wallenberg has embarked on his life's mission. He sets out to rescue Jewish Hungarians from death at the hands of the Nazis, under the command of Adolph Eichmann. Stellan Skarsgard is perfect in the title role. Erland Josephson, one of Ingmar Bergman's favorite actors, plays a rabbi. While Bergman himself was not involved in this film, another of his associates, Katinka Farago, produced it.