Transatlantic

I stumbled upon Transatlantic out of curiosity, not knowing what to expect. However, to my delight, it turned out to be a true gem. The exceptional acting, well-crafted plot, and engaging script kept me captivated throughout the entire movie. What truly sets this film apart is its artistic value, evident in every scene, from the stunning cinematography to the exquisite ending credits.

As a war movie enthusiast, I was particularly intrigued by the historical context and story of the French resistance during World War II, which I realized I wasn't familiar with. The film showcased this movement in a stylish and compelling way, which was a refreshing departure from the usual war movie tropes. The addition of the artistic flair and the charming seaside of Marseille added an extra layer of visual appeal and made for a cinematic dream.

Overall, the film exceeded my expectations and left me with a newfound appreciation for the French resistance and the beauty of Marseille. I am grateful to have discovered this hidden gem.

The true story is well known and awe inspiring. A true larger than life story in WWII occupied France when the South was still a "free" zone. All the refugees were in Nice, Cannes, Marseille awaiting to leave the territory. Unfortunately, the series is torn between retelling the true events and highly romanticising them with the addition of too many love interests as well as too many politically correct subplots raising concerns that were not relevant at the time especially in time of war. Those tend to slow and hinder the proper storytelling, depriving it of fluidity in addition to some completely false resistance storylines. It could have been great.

The Netflix series is based on real life events in Marseilles, France during the early days of WW II. Dark times, indeed, from an historical view. But, somehow, "Transatlantic" comes across more like a collection of ingénues and eccentrics on a madcap adventure, rather than as a literal life and death struggle against fascism. The tone of this series is set by a soundtrack that hit me every which way but right; the overall effect was like watching a strange, inappropriate homage to a Woody Allen period piece comedy. Kudos to the cast, though, which manages at times to rise above it all with some excellent performances; and the on-location cinematography adds authenticity to the historical weight of the storyline. "Transatlantic" may be the only series you should watch with the audio muted and the captions on, because what happened is worth knowing so that it is not forgotten, or repeated.

I am glad to finally see the tale told of the sad loss of the brilliant Walter Benjamin as WWII escalated, but yet somehow the story of his brilliance and then the brilliance of all the other famous artists in the tale, does not do them justice. These figures are lost to some other intent in the construction of this story...this history needs to be told, but somehow this telling is missing authenticity, it sacrifices this for the sake of finding 2020 in 1940.

It is never the less help ful to see the enactments, the tale of these brave efforts does need to be told, especially of the almost misses, the ways in which the US came too close to not helping the struggle.

This is a fascinating story based on real people and real events circa Marseille, France in 1940.

I always thought it was only Oscar Schindler, the German industrialist and member of the Nazi Party, who saved 1,200 Jews from the German concentration camps.

But American journalist Varian Fry and his colleagues succeeded in facilitating the escape of Europe's virtual brain trust, including famous Jewish artists, from the advancing Wehrmacht in 1940-October 1941.

The limited series narrates remarkably how Fry, Mary Jayne Gold, Albert Hirschmann, Lisa Fittko and Hiram Bigham accomplished a difficult task relying mainly on the financial heft of heiress Ms. Gold.

What is particularly interesting and entertaining is the fact that the famous refugees are given parts to play. Personalities like German surrealist painter Max Ernst, Jewish economist Albert Hirschmann, Jewish painter Marc Chagall, Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin, Russian anti-Stalinist Victor Serge, political scientist Hannah Arendt (who's considered one of the most influential political theorists in the 20th century and who was married to Benjamin's cousin Gunther Anders), and German satirist and writer Walter Mehring. Throw American art collector par excellence Peggy Guggenheim into the mix and you have a totally whimsical brew. (By the way, Peggy married Ernst later.)

Such an assemblage of individuals, at wartime, is awesome.

This makes the movie the refugees' story. There are unforgettable scenes involving the 2 Walters (Benjamin and Mehring) but it would be tantamount to spoilers.

Storytelling is straightforward but engaging without a hint of the past which forces the inquisitive to dig deeper and consult Google for additional information. Somehow, this enriches the viewing experience. But action is consistent and there are tense moments to be sure. It ebbs and flows but the viewer isn't distracted.

As mentioned in the beginning, this is a story based on real people and events. But creators Anna Winger and Daniel Hendler took the liberty of adding plot elements that don't have basis in fact but intended to embellish the story arc. It's up to the viewer to find out what these are in the spirit of fun

Gillian Jacobs, Cory Michael Smith, Lucas Englander and Cory Stoll nail their parts.

Overall, it's a watchable, informative film with great entertainment value.