Auschwitz - Out of the Ashes

Out of the Ashes is one of the best portrayals of the life of a Holocaust survivor I have seen yet. As an avid researcher of the Holocaust I have read Dr. Perl's 1948 novel of her life as a concentration camp survivor and the accounts of her work as a camp doctor. Showtime could not have done a more superior job bringing this woman's story to the screen. This is certainly a movie that will grip at your heart strings , Jewish or not. Auschwitz was re-created with fierce accuracy. Even the most hardened heart could not feel anything but pure admiration as the story unfolds of Dr. Perl's struggle to help the women of Auschwitz and her own struggle for survival. Dr. Perl single handedly assisted in the preservation of the Jewish people by helping the innocent women victims to stay alive and fight with the hope that they would one day present the world with a new generation of Jews that would be free. She then came to America and assisted in delivering this new generation before she retired in Israel and ended her life there doing volunteer work. This is an extraordinary story of one of the bravest woman I have ever learned of. I could not give this movie a higher rating.

In "Out of the Ashes", Lahti is out front delivering a typically sterling performance as a gynecologist and Auschwitz survivor who applies for citizenship to the US while reliving the horrors of her WWII experience via flashback before a panel of review not unlike the Spanish Inquisition. This lame flick is melodramatic to the point of the ridiculous with the bad guys being the personification of evil and the good guys being worthy of canonization as saints. If we needed another WWII death camp story, which we don't, this one certainly is not it. A pathetically melodramatic treatment of a serious subject in the guise of a biopic not worthy of further commentary. (C)

"Out of the Ashes" is very nearly the best story brought to the screen, among the many I've seen. At issue here (which many may not realise) is the life-story of one Doctor Gisella Perl--a Hungarian Jew who, along with her entire family, was captured from the family's home-town of Sighet and sent by boxcar to Auschwitz--while the holocaust itself provides the backdrop for the story. Like "Sophie's Choice", this film involved the difficult 'choiceless choices' that were made by some of the survivors of the Second World War's most infamous extermination camp.

In order to truly appreciate the story and the portrayal, one must know something of Hungarians and of Hungary, as well as their role in World War II. Actress Christine Lahti turned in such a marvelous and unforgettable performance, I actually thought I was seeing a Hungarian actress playing the role (to begin with), and then a really fine performance it was, to boot! I found myself on the edge of my seat with a film that, being a product of cable television, didn't garner such advance expectations. And but for one very glaring and avoidable error, which happens early in the film (only one scene), the final product was really quite well done. Bravo to Showtime!

Lahti's performance was award-winning, to say the very least, whether or not she was ever properly recognised. Add: a wonderful supporting cast, recruited in the US, Canada, and Eastern Europe. The scenery is lovely (filmed mainly in Lithuania; the film-makers were able to find a beautiful town not destroyed during the war). For those who have not seen this film, please do! It's a remarkable autobiography (i.e. the book on which its based) and life story. I think the actual Dr. Perl would have been proud of, and pleased with Lahti's performance and portrayal of her. Rent the DVD rather than wait for Showtime to rerun it (even though I'm sure it will be run again and again). Rating: 4,5 stars on 5.

The true story about a woman named Gisella Perl, a jewish doctor whom lived in Sighet (Hungary) during WW2. After the 1944 german occupation of Hungary, the family of the doctor was first interned in the Sighet ghetto after which they were deported in May 1944 to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The story is told through flashbacks that the doctor experiences from the moment she arrives in New York, just after WW2 ended. In these flashbacks, we will see some of her experiences in the concentration camp and what she did to survive. And this is not only about surviving herself, but also to help pregnant prisoners survive.

For a TV movie, the quality is pretty decent. It is unfortunately not comparible to an average feature film production. This can for instance be seen back in the limited set of the concentration camp. But overall, I think this TV movie is for sure one of the better TV productions.

Concluding, I think this movie deserves a score of 6.4/10, resulting in an IMDb rating of 6 stars.

It is worthwile noting that the famous jewish survivor Elie Wiesel - whom in 1956 published his first book on his experiences in Auschwitz - also came from the hungarian town Sighet. Elie Wiesel received the 1986 Nobel Peace Price.

the actress playing the role of Dr Gisela Pearl should be nominated for her performance. the film showed the courage of the human spirit in the face of hate and tragedy. after looking at the film, I was humbled by the courage of this woman who lost all her family but decide in spite of what happened to her to survive and help other fellow humans. she also had to go through the pain of defending herself after being accused of collaborating with the Nazi. Anyone in the same position had little choices but to try to remain alive. She did more than that and for that reason she should be honoured for her heroism. I am full of admiration for the Jewish people time and time again when I see films such as this one.