Der Tod hinter der Maske

Well played out drama about victims of torture trying to put their lives together again with the help of a psychiatrist, herself a former victim of the Nazis. This was a shocking tale with some very upsetting scenes, with a surprising and dramatic ending.

In addition to the excellent performance of Vanessa Redgrave and the deceased Raúl Julia, the value and significance of this film is that it shows, extremely close to reality, the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Syndrome of "torture survivors>", the modern denomination of those that been primary or secondary subjects in the widespread use of torture around the world. This film is so dramatically close to real cases experienced by the Danish IRC (international Recovery center for Torture survivors) that it will impress both who work with torture survivors and those really looking for suspense, unexpected ending snd superb performance of Raúl Julia and Vanessa Redgrave. Honestly a film worth to buy and keep in the same class as My Neigbors son and a few others.

Anna Lenke (Vanessa Redgrave) is something of a holocaust survivor who has organised a clinic for victims of torture and is doing well with profound human psychology in helping torture victims back to something of a human existence. Among her patients is a Latin American girl who refuses to speak, a Greek veteran with horrible traumas from the temporary Greek dictatorship of the generals, and Helen McNulty (Laura Dern), a journalist, who lost her lover, photographer and colleague in a most traumatic incident in Latin America also. We never learn the geographical places of these torture scenes or the clinic, but we do learn that Tomas Ramirez (Raul Julia) comes from an affluent family in Argentine and that he is chased and therefore ends up in safety at the clinic. The relationship between Julia and Dern makes them both forget the horrors of their past, which nevertheless inevitably will constantly return to haunt them, leading to most unexpected developments of the intrigue. Vanessa Redgrave tries by all means to keep control and successfully, it seems, but even she is ultimately shocked and shaken by what turns up, like the audience will be. It is a slow peaceful drama only gradually developing into shocking turbulence, which will be the more forceful for the long preparations. Raul Julia in this his last film makes the most unforgettable appearance, Vanessa Redgrave seconds him admirably, while Laura Dern is not quite up to the job, although she makes the most of her great scene and almost overdoes it. It is a great film in a small chamber drama format which inevitably must turn on consequences of afterthought.

Down Came a Blackbird is a harrowing film. Some scenes made me feel sick since they made me think about how some people can make other people suffer.

The script is well-written, and the acting is brilliant. Especially Raul Julia impressed me. (6/10)

This is one tough, searing, emotional roller coaster. Excellent film which should have received much more attention. I didn't even know it existed, and just happened to run across it while searching movies being shown today.

Raul Julia (as usual) gives an honest and truthful performance.

Of course, Vanessa Redgrave is enchanting and engrossing ... certainly not a surprise. But she does a lot to keep a very very dark story from being sunk into a black hole of pathos.

This is not an easy film to sit through - but a must for those who are interested in a character's journey.