Directed by:
Volker SchlöndorffCinematography:
Michel AmathieuComposer:
Jörg LembergCast:
André Dussollier, Niels Arestrup, Burghart Klaußner, Robert Stadlober, Charlie Nelson, Jean-Marc Roulot, Stefan Wilkening, Thomas Arnold, Lucas Prisor (more)VOD (1)
Plots(1)
August 25th, 1944. The Allies enter Paris. Shortly before dawn, Dietrich von Choltitz (Niels Arestrup), German military governor of Paris, prepares to execute Adolph Hitler's orders to blow up the French capital. Bridges and monuments are all rigged to explode. And yet, Paris is not destroyed. For what reasons did von Choltitz refuse to carry out the Fuhrer's commands, despite his boundless loyalty to the Third Reich? Was it Raoul Nordling (André Dussollier), Swedish consul-general to Paris, who made the General change his mind? (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (4)
Excellently-written dialogue, excellent directing and outstanding performances by both leads André Dussollier and Niels Arestrup make this conversational drama an unprecedentedly suspenseful spectacle. I would like to thank the creators for the fascinating opportunity to look behind the scenes of the Second World War, as I had no idea about the complexities of what went on in Paris. (80%)
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An absolutely exquisite dialogue-based movie, which focuses not only on my favorite period, but also a specific situation I’m interested in. Niels Arestrup and André Dussollier are both delivering performances that are absolutely out of this world. They’re on opposite sides but they are trying to find common ground. This movie reminded me a lot of The Sunset Limited, which, however, dealt with the topic of faith. Anyhow, the future of Paris is also an interesting premise. And I must say that these 85 minutes were totally worth it!
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The Swedish Napoleon Bonaparte secretly sneaks into the chambers of the imperial courtesan of good morals and poor prospects to receive from her a detonator, hope, a place in history. The opening Beethoven music places everything in the frame of gloomy urgency, and then, with a fabrication between four eyes, we watch how the possibility of choice can sometimes be devastating and that diplomacy is the art of allowing someone to do what you want. If Volker Schlöndorff can embellish while successfully playing his game on his favorite playground, then so can I. I believe in a more prosaic reason for saving Paris, namely that the eleven-year-old Jean-Paul needed the roofs preserved for stunt performances into adulthood.
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I like the premise that most filmmakers approach historical films grandiosely, focusing on battles, and on wars, but in the case of this movie set during World War II, the creators took a different approach. It's actually a very intimate drama, which must look great on stage - the film is also an adaptation of a stage play. But it also shows the strength of the actors and the great dialogues.
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