Jessica Lange should have been nominated for and won the Oscar as early as 1989 for this film. Beyond the superb acting of Lange and her supporting cast, however, the importance of this production is that it focuses on the little known truth that other European nationalities, in this case quite a lot of Hungarians, participated in the persecution of the Jews during and even long before the Nazi domination of Europe. Nazi sympathizers and material supporters were to be found in practically all countries of Europe, including Great Britain where prominent industrialists and even members of the Royal Family were known to promote that odious ideology. After all, England, was the first European country to expel Jews by royal legal edict in 1290. And, during the holocaust years, we now know that Ukrainian, Croatian, Hungarian, Austrian and other European peoples had their own pro-Nazi organizations that actively facilitated the deportation and extermination of the Jews.
After Germany's defeat, many Nazi criminals fled to countries all over the world including the United States. Some of them even posed as Jewish refugees. In this movie, SPOILER: the father of the character played by Lange curried the favor of US authorities by being a rabid anti-communist who went out of his way to demonstrate at cultural events sponsored by the Soviet Union. He wasn't play acting as indeed Nazis and their sympathizers were logically anti-communist. His motive, however, was to avoid being repatriated to Hungary where he was wanted for war crimes.
After Germany's defeat, many Nazi criminals fled to countries all over the world including the United States. Some of them even posed as Jewish refugees. In this movie, SPOILER: the father of the character played by Lange curried the favor of US authorities by being a rabid anti-communist who went out of his way to demonstrate at cultural events sponsored by the Soviet Union. He wasn't play acting as indeed Nazis and their sympathizers were logically anti-communist. His motive, however, was to avoid being repatriated to Hungary where he was wanted for war crimes.