Costa - Gavros has never been afraid to voice his political views, come what may. This includes indicting the U.S. Government in MISSING for collusion in the behavior of the Pinochet regime's killing an American citizen. He also has spoken harshly about Greece's junta in Z and other governments. In MUSIC BOX he looks at the issue of open collaboration in Eastern Europe by right wing governments from 1938 to 1945 with the Axis governments of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
Hitler at his death in April 1945, and the trial of his leading minions and cut-throats in the immediate post-war years, did a favor of sorts for their allies in Hungary, Roumania, and other Eastern European states (as well as Western European states) who gleefully assisted in the Holacaust for their own reasons. Hungary was able to prevent the liquidation of the Jews there until 1944, due to the reign of the anti-Semitic but careful "Regent" Admiral Horthy. Horthy was unwilling to shed blood, as he was aware that Germany might not win the war and not be able to rubber stamp such a massacre in the future. But in September 1944 Horthy's regime was shattered when S.S. Colonel Otto Skorzeny kidnapped Horthy's son as a bargaining chip. Horthy basically retired from office, and a more pro-Nazi regime came in. It only lasted until the Russians came in the following March, but most of the Hungarian Jewish community ended up in the death camps. Several thousand were rescued thanks to the work of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenburg.
Hungary's newly installed Communist Government quickly tried and executed the leading Hungarian fascists (Horthy was imprisoned until he died). The Hungarians had had a pretty sophisticated and successful capitalist society in the inter-war period. They did not take kindly to the Communist regime, and in 1956 they revolted (see the film THE JOURNEY). That revolt was smashed due to western indifference. Hungary did not try it again, but as the decades slid by it practiced more and more capitalism - and closer ties to the west. When the iron curtain finally collapsed, Hungary was very quick to reemerge as a "western" style country (with the "Czech Republic").
But the fall of the Soviet empire also released tons of material for the West to read, not only about Communist collaborators, but also Nazi collaborators. The problem was that the west had to consider if the attacks on "Nazi collaborators" were honest reporting or attempts to smear innocent people.
That is the theme of this Costa Gavros film. Jessica Lange is a lawyer, whose beloved father is Armin Mueller - Stahl. He was a refugee from Hungary who came to the United States in the late 1940s, under the wing of Donald Moffat, a Army intelligence officer. Moffat's son married Lange, and they had a child, before the father died. Mueller - Stahl has grown close to the boy, and Lange is happy about this.
Then, one day, charges are filed against Mueller - Stahl by the Federal Government's prosecutor (Frederick Forrest) that Mueller - Stahl was an active, high ranking Hungarian Fascist who assisted the Nazis in the murder of Hungarian Jews. Lange is angry at this and becomes her father's attorney. Unfortunately as the case progresses, more and more documentation turns up that forces Lange to re-evaluate her father. She fights as long as possible - aided by the questionable people who supply the "proof". But as it builds, the facade of kindness and love by her father cracks. Mueller - Stahl has repeatedly appeared in films showing a lovely restraint in his acting. Look at his work as the immigrant to America in AVALON. But here he is playing against his normal type - when he finally shows Lange his basic repellent manner and fury he is chilling. He basically tells her to keep her thoughts to herself, or he'll take her kid away from her.
But even more chilling is Donald Moffat. He apparently found that saving Mueller - Stahl from a deserved trip to the gallows was quite useful for his own career in military intelligence. He certainly did well in that sphere. But it helps him immensely that he either does not care about the fate of the Jews, or that he openly questions the Holacaust (in one scene he even tries to start indoctrinating doubt into Lange's son, who is his grandson too). That such a character did so well in our country is a bitter pill to swallow, and yet it probably is not far from the truth in many cases.
Hitler at his death in April 1945, and the trial of his leading minions and cut-throats in the immediate post-war years, did a favor of sorts for their allies in Hungary, Roumania, and other Eastern European states (as well as Western European states) who gleefully assisted in the Holacaust for their own reasons. Hungary was able to prevent the liquidation of the Jews there until 1944, due to the reign of the anti-Semitic but careful "Regent" Admiral Horthy. Horthy was unwilling to shed blood, as he was aware that Germany might not win the war and not be able to rubber stamp such a massacre in the future. But in September 1944 Horthy's regime was shattered when S.S. Colonel Otto Skorzeny kidnapped Horthy's son as a bargaining chip. Horthy basically retired from office, and a more pro-Nazi regime came in. It only lasted until the Russians came in the following March, but most of the Hungarian Jewish community ended up in the death camps. Several thousand were rescued thanks to the work of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenburg.
Hungary's newly installed Communist Government quickly tried and executed the leading Hungarian fascists (Horthy was imprisoned until he died). The Hungarians had had a pretty sophisticated and successful capitalist society in the inter-war period. They did not take kindly to the Communist regime, and in 1956 they revolted (see the film THE JOURNEY). That revolt was smashed due to western indifference. Hungary did not try it again, but as the decades slid by it practiced more and more capitalism - and closer ties to the west. When the iron curtain finally collapsed, Hungary was very quick to reemerge as a "western" style country (with the "Czech Republic").
But the fall of the Soviet empire also released tons of material for the West to read, not only about Communist collaborators, but also Nazi collaborators. The problem was that the west had to consider if the attacks on "Nazi collaborators" were honest reporting or attempts to smear innocent people.
That is the theme of this Costa Gavros film. Jessica Lange is a lawyer, whose beloved father is Armin Mueller - Stahl. He was a refugee from Hungary who came to the United States in the late 1940s, under the wing of Donald Moffat, a Army intelligence officer. Moffat's son married Lange, and they had a child, before the father died. Mueller - Stahl has grown close to the boy, and Lange is happy about this.
Then, one day, charges are filed against Mueller - Stahl by the Federal Government's prosecutor (Frederick Forrest) that Mueller - Stahl was an active, high ranking Hungarian Fascist who assisted the Nazis in the murder of Hungarian Jews. Lange is angry at this and becomes her father's attorney. Unfortunately as the case progresses, more and more documentation turns up that forces Lange to re-evaluate her father. She fights as long as possible - aided by the questionable people who supply the "proof". But as it builds, the facade of kindness and love by her father cracks. Mueller - Stahl has repeatedly appeared in films showing a lovely restraint in his acting. Look at his work as the immigrant to America in AVALON. But here he is playing against his normal type - when he finally shows Lange his basic repellent manner and fury he is chilling. He basically tells her to keep her thoughts to herself, or he'll take her kid away from her.
But even more chilling is Donald Moffat. He apparently found that saving Mueller - Stahl from a deserved trip to the gallows was quite useful for his own career in military intelligence. He certainly did well in that sphere. But it helps him immensely that he either does not care about the fate of the Jews, or that he openly questions the Holacaust (in one scene he even tries to start indoctrinating doubt into Lange's son, who is his grandson too). That such a character did so well in our country is a bitter pill to swallow, and yet it probably is not far from the truth in many cases.