Au nom de tous les miens

This very heavy miniseries chronicles Martin Gray's memoir, and while it's very well put together, it's pretty tough to watch. This isn't one of those "let's remember the Holocaust" movies that's inspiring because we know everyone makes it out alive. In fact, in the beginning of the series, the audience is shown that, in fact, Martin's loving wife and children have been killed in a terrible fire. He weeps and places a gun to his head, then decides to put his life story into a tape recorder first. The rest of the miniseries is a flashback. I told you it's heavy.

If you're a Michael York fan and appreciate whenever he was given a heavy dramatic role to sink his teeth into, you might want to try this one. He plays the adult Martin, and you might be surprised and disappointed when the flashback uses another actor, Jacques Penot, as the main Martin in the flashbacks who lives through the Holocaust. However, there's a very cute twist (the only cute part of this entire movie): Michael also plays his own father during the WWII sections. So fear not, we'll see (and hear, since he narrates it) a lot of him.

You might be expecting it, but you might not be able to imagine it, there's a lot of violence in this miniseries. With all these awful, unspeakable horrors put into one man's memoir, it's really a wonder how he made it out alive. This really isn't an enjoyable story to watch. It's only for those who appreciate getting immersed in this time period, and for those who can stomach a lot of atrocities.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to violence, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

The film was just phenomenal. I would give it 11 stars no matter what.

The eighties brought in France another way of making movies:first a relatively short version which was shown in the theaters,then a miniseries which was broadcast on TV.Examples:"Lelouch's "les uns et les autres" Hossein's "les miserables" Bolognini's (co-production with Italy)"la dame aux camelias" "Comencini's "cuore" (idem) .... and Robert Enrico's "Au nom de tous les miens"

"Au nom de tous les miens exists in two versions.You have got to bear in mind that here it's a "reader's digest " form ( 2h25)!Think that the miniseries lasts 8 hours!With "Cuore" ,it's the best of the lot which includes plenty of other films in two versions.Robert Enrico ,whose best film remains his wonderful "les aventuriers" (1967) ,had already tackled WW2 with "le vieux fusil" which ,although praised to the skies at the time and a Cesar winner ,sufferred from a far-fetched screenplay full of tricks a la Feuillade,the old master of the French silent era.

There's not such a problem with Martin Gray's story.His unbelievable true odyssey is one of the most harrowing and one of the most awesome of the whole twentieth century,and he will go down in history,as Anne Frank did.His life is so eventful through the sufferings ,the pain and the small joys -the scene when he gives cakes to a poor little girl-that it resembles a novel. My Jewish friends have always told me that they believe in survival ,not in a paradise after death,but through their children.That's what's Martin keeps on repeating ,that's why he gets over every time fate strikes ,that's why he wrote his book,that's why we almost never see him cry (except for the scene in his aunt's house in NYC)

Of course ,the theatrically released version leaves something to be desired,so I urge everybody to see the long version before...if he can.

I was 17, and living in France when this movie was made, and even then, I found it very inspirational and sad at the same time. I never forgot it. Even today, I still remember the face of the actor who played young Martin Gray, and that was 20 years ago. This movie had an impact on me and it would be a treasure to own, as much as Schindler's List.

Michael York plays a middle-aged holocaust survivor who tapes his account of how he used his survival instincts as a young teenager to escape his possible fate. Unfortunately, his pain didn't end there.

This movie demonstrates the incredible strength of the human spirit, the desire to survive, and how one can never give up, no matter what.

FH

I hate to use those clichés because people say them so often about movies. I saw this movie as a mini-series on a commercial cable station before DVR. Even with commercials, I watched it back to back one long afternoon and found it riveting. I heat that there is an abridged theatrical release, but I strongly recommend the full mini series. I suggest that when a person watches this mini-series, they should turn off their phone and all other distractions. Please pay close attention to this story, because it is worth it. Don't spoil this movie by reading about the protagonist's real life first. Watch to the very end and it will speak to you.

The message is powerful and important at any time. However, in these harsh times, it particularly resonates.