Maya Ramati Movies
- 1989
There are many films which focus on the plight of Jews during the Nazi Holocaust. This is one of the few that explores what happened to some of the others slated by Hitler for extermination, in this case, the Gypsies. In the story, Dymitr (Horst Bucholz) is a Gypsy violinist living in Warsaw. After the Jews are rounded up, he learns that the Gypsies will be next. With his wife and son, he seeks out a Gypsy camp outside of town, and becomes involved in an attempt to flee from the Nazis. Perhaps it is a mercy that these people are unaware of how much information they need to successfully escape. They are rounded up and sent to Auschwitz just as the survivors of the journey reach what they believe will be a safe haven in Hungary. In Auschwitz, though conditions are not as brutal for them as for the Jews, most of them die. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Horst Buchholz, Maya Ramati, (more)
- 1984
Set during World War II, The Assisi Underground deals with the efforts made by a handful of hardy European souls to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. Ben Cross plays a dynamic young Catholic priest who puts his own life on the line to save thousands of refugees from Nazi-occupied Italy. While the role of the Vatican in the war is still a matter of hot debate, there can be no denying that individuals like Cross existed: in fact, virtually every event depicted in this film is based on an actual event. Featured in the all-star cast are James Mason, Irene Papas, and Maximillian Schell. When originally released, Assissi Underground clocked in at 178 minutes, resulting in a well-intentioned but frankly boring wartime epic. The producers whittled the running time down to 118 minutes for its general release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Cross, James Mason, (more)
