In 1949 accompanied by his daughter, writer Thomas Mann returns to Germany on a speaking tour and with the hope of recommenecting to his son.
This is a a super film. Its a look at a stern man trying to come to terms with a world still in turmoil after the war. Both he and his daughter are also dealing with a fractured family. Mann's son is a famous novelist who broke with his father and is scarred by it and the war.
The film is also a deep exploration of man's search for something. Built around speeches involving Goethe, including references to his Faust, the film ponders what people have done or will do to get what they want. Its is a film that also ponders that in the wake of the war where the Manns encounter former Nazi's who now act as if nothing happened just a few years before. The two themes come crashing in when the ex husband of Mann's daughter shows up. He was the actor who serves as the source of the novel, and later movie Mephisto, about the greatest actor in Germany who sold his soul to Hitler.
While there is seemingly not a lot going on the truth of the matter is that there is a lot going on.
I'm going to say something that may turn some people off, which is the more you know about the time period in the film and the people mentioned, the better it is. The film is telling a story and while you may not need to know the history and references, the truth is that the more you know the better this is going to play. The script doesn't stop to explain anything so there are several levels to the film, those that know the references and those that don't. Even if you don't know the history this is a great film, but it's greater if you do.
When you see FATHERLAND you must stay to the end. Its a short movie, running just 82 minutes, but you need to get to the end for it to hit you in the face. I say that because the end of this movie is quite simply one of the best endings of any film this year. The mix of sound and image click so perfectly that I, and several other audience members were wiping tears away as the end credits began to roll.
One of the best films at this year's NYFF, FATHERLAND is a must see.
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