Triunfo do Espírito

Movie about a jewish camp inmate of Auschwitz named Salamo Arouch, which is given privileges by the camp leadership for his boxing skills. Coming from Greece, he and his complete family were interned at Auschwitz, whereby this movie is based on the true events he experienced.

This movie very well shows how the camp arrival and consequential selection for gassing takes place. It also very well shows the daily struggles that the inmates faced that were not gassed upon arrival. Especially the unique position that certain inmates had. Like e.g. Kapos and inmates with special skills like a boxing champion.

I score this movie with 7.3/10, resulting in a 7 star IMDb rating.

Triumph of the Spirit takes an uncompromising view of the horrors of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, dealing with the fate of Greek gypsies, and particularly a boxing Champion Salamo Arouch who fights to amuse the brutal Nazi Officers, enabling his father's and his own survival. He was allowed life while his losing opponents perished. Based on a true story, without doubt the most devastating film ever made on the topic of death camps, it is extremely realistic in its presentation having been filmed in the bleak winter of 1989 on location in Auschwitz, and that shows. It must have effected the cast and the crew extremely. Willem Defoe's performance proves the depth of feeling that was thus achieved, and this is reflected by the whole cast. Certainly not an easy film to watch, but it is rewarding and extremely moving to those who make the effort. Perhaps in some small way this film might prevent such evil being perpetrated on the world again. A remarkable achievement that predates and eclipses Schindler's List, yet sadly not widely shown.

Just finished seeing Triumph of the Spirit. What a sad, bleak, dark, and depressing film.

This was based on the true story of Greek Balkins Middleweight Champion Salamo Arouch who was undefeated before World War II. Once the Nazi army invades Greece, Arouch, his entire family, and all the Jews in Greece are shipped off to the Nazi death camp in Austwitz.

With-in moments, all the women in Arouch's family are murdered in the gas showers. He is forced with his family and brother to work at slave-labor. Arouch is brutalized by a camp Kapo who happens to be a professional boxer as well. In a brutal scene, Arouch and the Kapo have a fist fight with Arouch scoring a knockout and a Nazi camp guard finishes off the Kapo with a gun shot to the head. Arouch is then forced to box in the camp for the Nazi officers who bet on the "boxing" matches. Only problem, the losing boxer ends up the "chimney stack".

A heart-wrenching and brutal story. Shocking to realize that not only did the Nazi murder, torture, starve and kill the inmates at Auswitz, but they also forced all the professional Jewish boxers to put on "Galdiator" matches for their entertainment.

The Triumph of The Spirt is a triumph of film-making. A very depressing one at that.

Others have reviewed the movie very well with those who have praised it. I was very taken with Willem Dafoe's performance and to me, this may be his best role. Superb acting, tragic story. I was reminded of the movie when watching Clive Owen and Lothaire Bluteau in Bent, another view of the tragedies perpetrated by the Nazis against anyone not "pure".

The events depicted in the movie are well documented in historical accounts of the concentration camp experience, and according to these accounts they are not overstated in this film. Director Robert M. Young's background in making documentaries makes this docu-drama all that much more devastating. This is the holocaust, without frills, humor, or preaching. It is what it is. I wonder about other comments criticizing the film because it is too depressing. Gee, sorry if the holocaust ruined your evening. If you don't think you can take the raw experience, don't watch the film. Of course it is depressing, more than that. However, having watched it, I can say I can better understand and appreciate the creation of the state of Israel after the war. Mr. Young did an excellent job of film making on an extremely sensitive topic. Incidentally, he was co-writer on one of my all time favorite films, a 1964 low budget black and white gem, "Nothing But a Man." Also a sleeper which received extensive critical praise but not much exposure, I believe it to be hands down the best film depicting the black experience in America, particularly southern blacks in early 1960's at the apex of the civil rights movement. See my review on this site. Don't miss it.