Pater Rupert Mayer

This is all Damian Chapa's film, both for the script, the cinematography and the direction. In all three capacities, it's an outstanding film deserving only credits. There are some flaws,however.

The story in itself warrants a masterpiece, the ordeals of the first world war when he loses a leg, the persecution by the Nazis in the second, and so forth. It's impossible to make a flawed film out of such a story, adorned all the way by his one comfort in playing the violin.

To this comes the remarkable cinematography. Especially in the first part, as long as it is all black and white, the cinematography is a marvel throughout. The effect when it changes to coiour, when for the first time the Jewish question is introduced, is striking, to say the least.

The one thing that makes the film miss one point, is the exaggerated direction, tending to make the actors overact. It's unnecessary and must produce the opposite effect to the one intended. Over-dramatization is always a mistake, striking hard instead of concentrating on the target.

So the film is a bit overdone. It would have gained in being half an hour shorter, with a more efficient flow in the direction and story-telling. Transport stretches are always a nuisance,, especially in Wagner operas.