MOVIE REVIEW: On Seeing “Amen”


By Pano Douvos

When we understand the Holocaust was the most important moment of the 20th century it is no surprise that movie makers have joined those trying to fathom the cause and the meaning of the murder by the Germans of 6 million Jews. The search continues in Costa Gravas’ currently showing film “Amen”... with mixed results.


Garvas is universally famed for his Academy Award film “Z” which eulogized the Greek left-wing politician assassinated by the rightist Greek government backed by the British and by the American CIA after the war.
In “Amen” he indicts the hypocritical silence of the Pope who sits on his knowledge of the atrocities being committed by the Germans against the Jews during World War II. The film is propelled by the actions of an S.S. man who attempts to get the Vatican to intervene and to stop the mass genocide.

Garvas was quoted as saying that “We try to understand how 40,000 people – men and women – for four years got up every morning and spent the day killing Jews.

As a World War II infantryman I was just outside the concentration camp at Dachau during the freeing of the Jewish prisoners there. I saw some near death who surely never made it. Thus I find the portrayal of the S.S. man as a sympathetic character jarring.

“Amen’s” indication that Germans were good family people, that they loved children, that civilians were forced into bomb shelters that many of their military were casualties on the Russian front possibly was factual. This does not remove the indelible stain of world destruction from German heads. My attention goes to their many millions of victims.

Costa-Garvas wanted to see Germans as humans, to create a film “that gives an account of how the other side works.” After mulling over German playwright Rolf Hochhuth’s 1963 play “The Deputy” he has now brought out his own filmic variation after 40 years. In my view, a few more months of thought could have changed some decisions.

He can be credited, though, with this first clear filming depiction of the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church. My stance, however, is that his film’s meaning was soft-pedaled, the images often subtle where they could have been ratcheted up for a stronger statement.

We do see the S.S. man coming forward and attempting to offer evidence of the murders being committed in the gas chambers. His presenting this to an anti-semitic Catholic church and asking it to deny its faith and age-old beliefs and to speak out to save the Jews... forget it. His other decision to stay in Germany to enlighten his countrymen about the crematoriums; to enlighten a nation of Neanderthals... forget it.

Another big misstep, the SSer chose not to seek help from his newsman contact from neutral Sweden. He failed to leave Germany to give eye-witness account of the gassings. He never shared his knowledge of the camps and the rail lines leading to them. His testimony could have forced the world to admit to and act on the truth, with the resultant saving of thousands of lives.

“Amen” does come through, however, in a demonstration of the moral bankruptcy of the Catholic church with a clear enactment of a clergyman at war’s end personally assisting Nazi Dr. Death Mengele on his boat ride to Argentina.

Costa Garvas yet could have hit stronger in showing the fate of the Jews by using actual war-time film footage, for instance. In “Amen” the Jews are essentially “off-stage” except for a couple of incidents of random murders. The symbolism of the trains constantly entering and leaving the camps first loaded and then unloaded was subtle and effective - but not strong enough to best portray the senseless carnage.
We must credit Costa-Garvas for the dramatic energy of his films; an almost crime-story feel permeates “Amen”..even though I looked for more attention to the hard ugly facts of the war. Maybe I am looking for a different film - one featuring the German Holocaust deniers.

Those who “didn’t know” would be examined... “Didn’t know” about the camps of death by efficient gassing. They believed the Jews were going to work camps- and, oh yes, their stolen homes and assets would be somehow miraculously returned to them. Somehow the guards, their families and friends at the camps “didn’t know,” and the railway people and their family and friends “didn’t know” and the townspeople near the camps “didn’t know.” “Didn’t know” what the constant smell and smoke was all about....the average German knew.

We await a straight-on film picturing Germans honestly showing contrition for their causing modern history’s greatest calamity. Some historical reports speak of World War II total deaths of 55 million...55 million! Two million Jews in the concentration camps, plus 4 million in the gas chambers. America lost 500,000 military killed in action. France two and one half million. Russia 27 million (7.5 military and 19 million civilian.. 19 million! There some reports of a much higher count. The complete role includes among others countless Italians, Poles, British, Australian, communists, gays and gypsys.

So I can do without the man in the black uniform and a death-head insignia on his hat. I can forego studies into the psychological causes behind German atrocities. We will never forget the 55 million dead. We must not for a moment suspend moral judgement. We will never forget...

That’s where my viewing “Amen” took me. It is a film of importance. And worth noting your reaction. Despite my reservations concerning “Amen” I honor Costa-Garvas, who examines serious topics with creative flare. He’s one in a smallish group. His film offers very timely reminders at this juncture of world history.

Posted: Sat - March 1, 2003 at 06:48 PM          

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