I have been busy the other day, zapping through the cable TV channels and my attention was caught by an English conversation between two elderly gentlemen with a clear Czech accent. I have stopped and started to watch the movie.
Being a Czech ex-patriot and a son of a Holocaust survivor the subject is very near to my heart. I was glued to the screen by one of the most moving, human and interesting documentaries I have ever seen. Maybe I am not objective because of my background but this film is really a masterpiece.
Mr. Lustig with his philosophical and so typically Czech view on life caused me to burst into loud laugh and into tears together. His optimism and the rare talent to pick up the really important things in life which may look trivial in first glance are incredible. Even in the hardest days in the concentration camps could Mr. Lustig find a human side in the Nazi soldiers.
Mr. Wiener on the other hand a completely different type. The dynamic relationship between these two draws a second circle in the movie.
Another level is the story of the Czech Jewry during the Holocaust and the personal stories of these heroes, their families and their close friends during this horrible epoch.
This is one of those films you just don't want to end.
And for summary: Great, Great, Great. One of the most enjoyable 90 minutes I had in long time.
