Amen (2002)

Synopsis

The Holocaust is in full swing in Europe and pressure is on the Vatican to denounce it publicly, which some argue would cause an overwhelming tide of public dissent against the Nazi party’s atrocities.

But the Pope and those around him resist putting the Vatican at risk of retaliation from the Third Reich, and it’s clear that they consider a statement against Hitler to be the same as siding with Stalin and Russian Communism.



One could scarcely wish for a more provocative historical state of affairs. No wonder Costa-Gavras, the hot-button-pushing rapscallion behind such fiery political dramas as Missing and Z, has made it a lifelong goal to film playwright Rolf Hochhuth's controversial 1963 play “The Deputy,” which portrays Pope Pius XII as having turned a blind eye to the plight of European Jews under Hitler’s “Final Solution.”

Amen concentrates on two men’s efforts to convince the Pope to speak out. SS Lieutenant Kurt Gerstein (Ulrich Tukur deftly conveys his character’s barely contained rage and smooth subterfuge) is horrified to discover the chemical formula he invented to purify dirty water on battlefields is instead being used by the Nazis to purify Germany of “undesirables.”

Gerstein is a true-life figure, but Father Riccardo (Mathieu Kassovitz) is an amalgam of many solitary religious figures who found themselves helpless without the backing word of the Supreme Pontiff.

Though it’s obvious that in order to diffuse any possible controversies that may sabotage the film’s veracity Costa-Gavras aims to be as ambiguous as possible and not make clear distinctions between good and evil, he can’t help but paint most characters with a broad stroke.

For example, why should the Pope be portrayed so staunchly against Communism if not to be provocative? Though such elements might chip away somewhat at Amen’s seriousness of intent, they do add fire to the stimulating drama. -- slantmagazine 

Cast: Ulrich Tukur, Mathieu Kassovitz, Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Mühe, Michel Duchaussoy, Ion Caramitru, Marcel Iureş, Friedrich von Thun, Antje Schmidt, Hanns Zischler, Monica Bleibtreu, Susanne Lothar 

Berlinale (Competition)

Read about this film

Country: France | Germany | Romania | USA
Language: English | French | Italian
Color: Color
Runtime: 132 min.