American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally

Movie review from Reel Tunez: The Radio Show All About the Movies

A historical movie about an American who went to Germany prior to WWII and became the "Tokyo Rose" voice against the Americans. In real life, this woman (whose real name was Mildred Gillars) spoke against the country, the president, and tried to hurt the morale of the American GI's. After the war, she was caught and tried. I'll go no farther in case you want to see this movie and not have any spoiler here. Notable in this movie is Al Pacino who acts as her defense attorney. His acting was incredible!

The movie is worth seeing, and knowing it's based on an actual person and actual events makes it more interesting. The pace of the movie isn't fast.. so don't expect that. An interesting story and very good acting! Plenty of historical inaccuracies (attention to detail) in uniforms and aspects related to both Germany and radio of that time period. Much of what you see appears to be fairly low budget, but the acting of Pacino really carries this movie (or at least it did for me).

The movie carries a fairly high viewer rating of a 7.0 on IMDB as I write this, but that feels overly generous. I'd give it about a 6.0 rating. It's not bad, but certainly NOT a 7 out of 10.

I only bothered to watch the movie from a historic interest and because of Al Pacino. Meadow Williams is for the most part unconvincing in the part while Pacino acts as if a gun was held to his head to play the role. (Pun intended.) The story is an interesting one and has a lot to say about individual accountability in a time of war and freedom of speech, and a remake with a better script and actors better suited to the parts could even make this Academy Award material.

I was thinking between 5/10 or 6/10 because it seems 6 is too much for it but WHAT a good preference by Al Pacino , sure until this he is totally able to nail every part he gets in his comfort zone, Like Hoffa in The Irishman 2019 , I hope he keeps going with those kinds of characters even if the movies they are in are not so great , watchable.

"American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally" is a dramatization of the trial of Mildred Gillars, the woman referred to as Axis Sally during WWII. This American woman was called this because after renouncing her citizenshp and moving to Germany, she began broadcasting for the German propaganda machine. What were the broadcasts? They involved trying to demoralize the Allied soldiers and she was similar to the woman known in the Pacific as 'Tokyo Rose'.

The film was okay...not bad, not good. I think I felt this way because although well made, late in the story the filmmakers tried to make the audience feel sorry for the woman. Considering she helped the Nazi war machine, she was a traitor...and I'd rather extend my sympathies towards someone a bit more deserving. Without this VERY sympathetic ending, I would have scored this one a bit higher.

It is slow and plodding. I found myself watching the clock and wishing it would soon be over. Almost every one of the characters is plastic and two-dimensional. Even Al Pacino (one of my favorite actors of all time) is not up to his usual level of excellence. Meadow Williams' character is like a Barbie doll. When she is on the witness stand, her movements are wooden and jerky. We are never invested in the scant storyline. We do not believe the characters are anything more than actors merely playing a part.

The cinematography is excellent and so are the sets. Ms. William's costumes are 1940s perfection. If the director had paid as much attention to character development as he did framing each and every shot, this movie might have kept my interest. I kept wanting to know Mildred's backstory. What brought her to be a traitor to her nation of origin? At a time in our nation's history of unparalleled patriotism and loyalty, I am at a loss to see how someone who, when offered a chance to leave the country of the aggressive nation, refused and stayed there. These questions are never addressed in the movie. Very disappointing.