You can become a valuable part of the WOSU Public Media family with your gift today. Your generosity will help positively impact the arts, education, and citizenship of the communities we serve.
A Drama Worth Your Time and Attention
WOSU Film Critic Joyce Long reviews the movie "The Counterfeiters."
JOYCE LONG GIVES "THE COUNTERFEITERS" 3 1/2 STARS
*** 1/2
"The Counterfeiters," which is "Die Fälscher" in German tells the true story of the largest counterfeiting operation in history, as a means for the Nazis to defeat the Allies in 1936.
The key character, Salomon "Sally" Sorowitsch is played by Karl Markovics and is the top notch counterfeiter in Berlin, living the high life of cards, booze and woman, when he finally gets caught by the Nazis and thrown into the Mauthausen concentration camp.
Exhibiting exceptional skills there, he is transferred to the upgraded Sachsenhausen camp where he meets Herzog who had originally arrested him.
Herzog selects Sally to be part of a group on a secret mission–to produce fake foreign currency.
Since the team of counterfeiters is given luxury barracks and better food Sally is somewhat willing to cooperate.
But one of the team, Adolf Burger, played by August Diehl, a moral man, refuses to comply and wants to do something to delay or throw a wrench into the scheme.
Thus Sally is faced with a moral dilemma.
While the film is in color, it is so dreary and monotone, one feels it is in black and white. But the performances are excellent and tension is high.
The theme and location make this a very sad and dark film but a well made one. Toward the end there are some fairly gruesome images of the ravages of a concentration camp.
The Film: The Counterfeiters
Cast Includes: Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow
Genere: Drama
Length: 98 minutes
Rated: R
WOSU Film Critics Joyce and Rico Long can be heard Fridays at 12:35pm during NPR's "Day To Day" on WOSU 820.
