Eichmann Show

The Eichmann Show is a documentary drama about the televising of Adolf Eichmann's 1961 trial in Israel after he was captured in Argentina. Eichmann was regarded as one of the architect's of the final reckoning which led to the deaths of countless Jews and others.

Anthony LaPaglia is the television director Leo Hurwitz and Martin Freeman is the producer Milton Fruchtman who set about televising what became known at the time as the 'trial of the century' as it was broadcast in 37 countries over four months. It was maybe the first time witnesses described the horrors of the concentration camp to a wider public. As the hotelier, Mrs Landau (Rebecca Front) informs her guest, many people simply could not believe such events had occurred during the second world war.

Although Fruchtman had been given permission to film the trial by the authorities the Judges were uneasy as they felt the television cameras and the noise they made would be a distraction and they set about to hide the cameras or disguise them so they would be intrusive.

The film inter-cuts the black and white real trial footage. The historic documentary footage of the victims of concentration camps is rather distressing. Eichmann is impassive throughout the trial as the footage is shown and witnesses testimony is given.

Its a worthy piece but the drama was rather bland. Of course the historic footage is shocking and sickening, the dramatised parts in contrast failed to enthral me. I felt a better constructed documentary would had told the story better with the historical footage.

The trial and story here it in itself incredibly compelling and tragic. The real film they used within the movie was so well done and brought an element that reenactment never could .

The focus of the film was threefold. First - the atrocities of the holocaust, second the power of media and third weather or not man can inherently be evil.

The first theme is well accomplished and presented in a respectful way . The idea that surviving Jews had been left marginalized and underrepresented for so long was a fantastic undercurrent.

The power of media is also presented well but might be slightly more hidden . This was really the justification for this particular focus , if you know this going in and look for it , you find it and realize there is so much power in what was done to show and document this trial in the way it was .

The third theme, although important is not presented as clearly or as well and I think gets in the way at times of the second theme . The dialogue when Leo is thinking of leaving helps point out the overarching goal of the film , but his obsession with "breaking " Eichmann on a personal level sometimes gets in the way.

Important film, great premise and solid acting . Not done as well as it could have been but absolutely worth the time .

I have watched this several times, each viewing leaves me silent and reflective. Having just finished another viewing and comparing it to today's American political climate, I wonder how much we really learned. Can we take these lessons and reteach them today, or has history become too irrelevant in this world of greed?

Leo Hurwitz dialogue was horrendous, he constantly complained or found fault with everything. I had to stop watching after a while.Pity its a great movie and subject matter.

Watching this and hearing eye witness accounts from all those people that endured all of those pure evil acts.

You can't help but shed of a tear for all of those survivors and for the victims of these pure evil acts.