Labyrinth of Lies

Original title: Im Labyrinth des Schweigens

2014
R
2h 4m

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

14K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer2:04

2 Videos

97 Photos

Drama History

A story that exposes the conspiracy of prominent German institutions and government branches to cover up the crimes of Nazis during World War II.A story that exposes the conspiracy of prominent German institutions and government branches to cover up the crimes of Nazis during World War II.A story that exposes the conspiracy of prominent German institutions and government branches to cover up the crimes of Nazis during World War II.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

14K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 6 wins & 18 nominations

Trivia
Based on the life of Frankfurt's attorney general Fritz Bauer and three of his prosecutors. They all were instrumental for the holding of the important 'Auschwitz trials' in 1963.

Goofs
(at around 1h 45 mins) The Mourner's Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead, is recited in the film using the modern Israeli Hebrew pronunciation. The version of the Kaddish that Kirsch would have known (and that his prayerbook would've contained) would have used the older Ashkenazic pronunciation used by German and Eastern European Jews. Instead of saying, "Yitgadal v' yitkadash," as they do in the film, they they should be saying, "Yisgadal v'yiskadash."

Quotes
Major Parker: You were all Nazis. In the Eastern sector, now you are all communists. Jesus, you Germans! If little green men from Mars landed tomorrow, you would all become green.

Connections
References La Strada (1954)

Soundtracks
Tipitipitipso
Performed by Caterina Valente
Music by Heinz Gietz
Lyrics by Kurt Feltz
Courtesy of Edition Rialto Hans Gerig KG, Bergisch Gladbach
(P) 1957 - Courtesy of Electrola, a division of Universal Music GmbH

User reviews40

Review

Featured review

7/10

compelling history needs more drama

It's 1958 Frankfurt, West Germany. Johann Radmann is a young by-the-books prosecutor toiling in traffic court and believing his father to be anti-Nazi. Reporter Thomas Gnielka brings the case of Charles Schulz, a teacher suspected of being a Nazi guard in Auschwitz. Nobody cares about what happened there and actively ignores the collective Nazi past. He starts a relationship with Marlene Wondrak. Gnielka introduces him to camp survivor Simon Kirsch. Radmann starts digging into the past and building a case against many. His main obsession is camp doctor Josef Mengele who experimented on the prisoners.

The history is very compelling. However, the story lacks danger or intensity. It needs some additional drama. There is some professional and personal drama but none of it is that intense. The production and acting is first rate. It is a very compelling watch although there are no big surprises.