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Triumph of the Spirit (1989)

Triumph of the Spirit (1989)
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Triumph of the Spirit is the true story of Salamo Arouch, a Greek-Jewish boxer imprisoned in Auschwitz during World War II. Arrested while attempting to help his family and friends escape the Nazi juggernaut, Arouch (Dafoe) is slated for extermination. He manages to survive--and to serve as an inspiration for his fellow inmates--by literally boxing for his life. He does this at the orders of his SS captors, who gamble on the outcome of Arouch's bouts. With each victory, Arouch is rewarded with extra bread rations, which he passes on to his family. Counterpointing the main story is the seemingly foredoomed romantic relationship between Arouch and female inmate Allegra (Wendy Gazelle). An uplifting coda rounds out this grim factual account. Triumph of the Spirit was filmed on location at Auschwitz--the first film of its kind to be lensed in that infamous locale. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Willem Dafoe, Edward James Olmos, (more)
Director(s):
Robert M. Young
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Triumph of the Spirit

Triumph of the Spirit is the true story of Salamo Arouch, a Greek-Jewish boxer imprisoned in Auschwitz during World War II. Arrested while attempting to help his family and friends escape the Nazi juggernaut, Arouch (Dafoe) is slated for extermination. He manages to survive--and to serve as an inspiration for his fellow inmates--by literally boxing for his life. He does this at the orders of his SS captors, who gamble on the outcome of Arouch's bouts. With each victory, Arouch is rewarded with extra bread rations, which he passes on to his family. Counterpointing the main story is the seemingly foredoomed romantic relationship between Arouch and female inmate Allegra (Wendy Gazelle). An uplifting coda rounds out this grim factual account. Triumph of the Spirit was filmed on location at Auschwitz--the first film of its kind to be lensed in that infamous locale. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
120 mins

Complete Cast of Triumph of the Spirit


Director(s):
Robert M. Young
Writer(s):
Arthur Coburn, Andrzej Krakowski, Millard Lampell
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Adult Language, Violence, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children)
Categories:
War
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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    Randy H.

    Generally acceptable movie depicting life during the Holocaust but not as stirring or having the impact of the Grey Zone.

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    Jennifer G.

    I think this movie is an excellent depiction of the violence and brutality that the Jews experienced during the Holocaust. There was a great deal of attention put on the personal lives and relationships of the Jews, but there was no spiritual aspect to the Jews lives whatsoever. That is not an accurate depiction of the true Jewish person during the Holocaust. I don't think every Jew believes in God, but if you want to name a movie "Triumph of the Spirit" and make it all about what the Jews experienced during the Holocaust, then one would expect to see the Jews practicing their faith to some degree, but unfortunately that part of their lives was totally left out. I'm not insinuating that this should have been a more religious movie; I'm just saying that the Jews being depicted without the aspect of the Jewish faith leaves a whole lot out, creating a skew, because a person's faith or relationship with God is such an integral part of their life. Great movie, but a new title is in order.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Joel L.

    A Cplus movie at best, but I couldn't get away from it until the very end. The fact that it was fillmed at the Auschwitz complex (including Work Makes Free sign over head, and the violin players at the entrance to the work camp, alone, makes it a must seeing. It shows the treatment in the worst death camp of the war, and especially the Kapos, who themselves were ultimately killed. Lots of detail, and very authentic. But somehow it still didn't impart all the terribleness of the camp. In fact, the subject, did seemingly go along with the entertainment, iknowing the fate of his opponants.This film should be sent to the modern adversaries that the Jewish people face worldwide, if not to the people itself, to remind them ofwhat is important in life.

    Yes   |   No

     
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