Prisoner of Paradise

I have just written 25 emails telling all of my closest friends to see this movie. It is the greatest documentary I have ever seen. I am in a state of shock at how moving this film is. Enough cannot be said to anyone connected with this film. I bow to all of you. This man Kurt Gerron should be praised and honored in no way that has been done before. Although he might be looked at as collaborating with the Nazi's as one narrator has stated, anyone else in his position would have done the same in his shoes and whoever says they wouldn't is a liar! What it must have been like to be in that place I can only guess but whoever had to live through that period (if they did survive) I personally owe a debt of gratitude to for bringing to life this documentary. PLEASE SEE THIS FILM!

Any documentary about a successful Berlin Cabaret performer, film actor and film director is the exciting and creative world of pre-WWII Germany -- who performed with Weill, Brecht, Marlene Dietrich, etc -- would be in itself unique and fascinating. This documentary certainly fulfills that expectation. In addition, it is the sad, tragic story of how a great artist was hounded and dehumanized by the Nazis. Finally, it is the incredible story of how the Nazis coerced Kurt Gerron to direct one of its most outrageous propaganda films to try to show the world that the Terezin Concentration Camp was a paradise for Jews sent to live in the "east." The reality was that Terezin was a squalid, overcrowded transit camp -- where many died from disease -- and tens of thousands were transported to Auschwitz (and other camps) to be murdered. In the end, Gerron was coerced to face the ethical dilemna that the Nazis posed to all their prisoners: "As long as you help us, we have a reason to keep you alive -- so ... How soon do you want to die?"

Did Gerron make the film because he was selfishly trying to save himself and his family? If so ... so what? Wouldn't you have done that? On the other hand, it is even more tragic to think that Gerron probably knew that the Nazis would never let him live -- and that this was his last chance to work -- to be creative -- to be a "macher" -- to have a modicum of control over his life. Like all great artists, he did not want to produce anything less than his best. Certainly, many of the "actors" in the film were forced to pretend to be happy. On the other hand, when you see children eating bread and butter joyfully -- and you know that they would not have such food were it not for this film -- you can imagine that perhaps they were not pretending to enjoy the food. Similarly, the chorale group, the children's musical, and the symphony (performing "Study for Strings," written by Pavel Haas while he was incarcerated in Terezin) were not "pretending." They were enthusiastically displaying their love for their art and their pride of accomplishment. The Nazis should be vilified for their treatment of these artists. But the artists have nothing to be ashamed of.

The film raises more questions than it answers. And some of the answers it suggests may not be convincing. But that is another reason why this film is deeply moving and valuable.

This is an extremely well-made documentary -- excellently preserving much archival film footage. Ian Holm is an outstanding narrator. And the moments we see Gerron's acting and hear his singing are likely to encourage you to want to rent several of his films. Nominated for the 2003 Oscar -- amongst Spellbound, Winged Migration and Bowling for Columbine -- this film is further evidence that today's documentary film makers are among the best creative artists in the cinema.

I loved this film for it's brave portrait of a character who made a morally ambiguous choice. The filmmakers allowed the story to unfold and give the audience credit for being able to come to their won conclusions about what they think of what Kurt Gerron did. It is the first time I have seen a film set against the holocaust that went beyond the horror stories we are already familiar with and examines a victim of nazi atrocities who in a strange way became a part of the propaganda machine. I think everyone should see this beautifully made film!

It blends current film with historic footage seamlessly. We are shown actual film from Kurt Gerron's movies. Gerron became a famous German actor but didn't have the looks for a lead man, so he became a director. One of the best of his time.

Then the Nazi's came to power and started to round up the Jews. Gerron moved from one country to another that was still out of reach of the Nazi's. Eventually as the German's overran Europe, Gerron ran out of time to flee to America. He was sent to the Terezin Concentration Camp. This camp had some of the most talented people in Europe. They were forced to perform for Nazi elites. Many were singers, dancers, actors, etc........

The documentary is tragic of course, but since the most horrific acts are told about and not shown, it isn't as heart wrenching a film to view as say, 'Escape From Sobibor'.

An excellent documentary about Holocaust victim and forgotten director Kurt Gerron.

In 1944, Gerron was coerced into directing a propaganda film intended to be viewed in "neutral" nations (Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland) showing how "humane" conditions were at Theresienstadt. Once filming was finished, Gerron and members of the Jazz pianist Martin Roman's Ghetto Swingers were deported on the camp's final train transport to Auschwitz. Gerron and his wife were gassed immediately upon arrival, along with the film's entire performing entourage (except for Roman and guitarist Coco Schumann).The next day, Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler ordered the closure of the gas chambers.

I had never heard of Gerron before seeing this film, which is not surprising given he was only successful in Germany and had not made the transition to American films like many others did. His association with Peter Lorre, Fritz Lang and others is interesting and one wonders what might have happened if he survived...