Rosenthal

This film is more than overdue! The outstanding and tragic life of Hans Rosenthal (1925-1987) is worthy subject matter for a film. His "Two Lives in Germany" vividly recounts what happened in Germany in the 20th century. Actor Florian Lukas delivers a phenomenal performance. What a TV movie! Why only now? Almost 40 years after the death of a very special childhood hero!

Since 1971, host Hans Rosenthal had become one of the most popular television presenters in West Germany with his game show "Dalli Dalli" on ZDF (Second German Television). The fact that he was Jewish played no major role for the general public. Rosenthal didn't advertise his commitment to the Jewish community. Even less well known to the public was that Hans Rosenthal had to go into hiding during the Nazi era and lost his entire family, especially his younger brother Gert Rosenthal.

The film tells the story of the 75th anniversary broadcast of DALLI DALLI, which was scheduled to take place on November 9, 1978, the 40th anniversary of the horrific Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass). What that might have meant for Hans Rosenthal is hard to imagine. These events certainly inspired the plans for his memoir "Two Lives in Germany," which became a bestseller in German-speaking countries in the 1980s. As a child of the 1980s, one could certainly imagine Hans Rosenthal as a courageous advocate against old Nazi activities like those in Bad Hersfeld. Unfortunately, Hans Rosenthal did not live many more years before his untimely death in 1987.

This new film is a very special tribute to a mega-star of German-language television entertainment, who remains vividly remembered to this day for his incredibly sad fate, but also for his unbridled zest for life.

"Rosenthal" honors beloved quiz master Hans Rosenthal on what would have been his 100th birthday, blending show-biz sparkle with the largely hidden past of a Jewish Holocaust survivor. Florian Lukas captures the famously exuberant host-right down to his signature jump-yet also reveals the inner turmoil that surfaces when a special "Dalli Dalli" anniversary broadcast happens to fall on 9 November. The production convincingly recreates late-1970s West Germany: brown studio paneling, glittery suits, and analog broadcast flicker place the viewer right backstage in television history.

Despite strong moments, the film feels overlong; its 93 minutes seem oddly stretched. The narrative pauses repeatedly for flashbacks to Rosenthal's childhood in hiding-important, but played out too extensively. Supporting characters around the production team and family remain sketchy: Silke Bodenbender's portrayal of wife Helga gets only a few dimensions, and newsroom conflicts resolve in hasty reconciliations. Desaturated flashbacks used to illustrate Rosenthal's trauma occasionally strike a didactic note, and the score oscillates between gentle melancholy and light TV jingle without finding a memorable theme.

As a portrait of a man balancing entertainment and remembrance, "Rosenthal" works well enough, yet tighter pacing and richer secondary roles could have elevated this TV biopic beyond solid evening fare. The film moved me but never fully pulled me in-ultimately a respectable 6 out of 10.