L'ami retrouvé

Original title: Reunion

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Jason Robards, Christien Anholt, and Samuel West in L'ami retrouvé (1989)

Two young boys from very different backgrounds become friends in 1933 Stuttgart. However, they don't realize how different they are until much later as one is the son of a well-to-do Jewish ... Read allTwo young boys from very different backgrounds become friends in 1933 Stuttgart. However, they don't realize how different they are until much later as one is the son of a well-to-do Jewish doctor and the other the son of a German aristocrat. After that summer and the election of... Read allTwo young boys from very different backgrounds become friends in 1933 Stuttgart. However, they don't realize how different they are until much later as one is the son of a well-to-do Jewish doctor and the other the son of a German aristocrat. After that summer and the election of Hitler, things change as anti-semitism gains fervor. After the core of the film deals wit... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

608

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations total

Photos27

+ 19

User reviews11

6.9608

Featured reviews

10bmovie-3

A Jewel

The performance of Jason Robards is incredibly understated, precisely what Harold Pinter's marvelous writing skills demand. I consider his performance a masterpiece of character development and found the movie spellbinding. Of all the holocaust stories this is the one I was able to relate to the best. I wish it would be available in video for all to appreciate.

10rsmolin

Excellent Character Study in 1930s Germany

I can't help but being impressed by the charm and angst that this film produces. On one hand we have two lonely boys from completely different backgrounds and religions who form a strong friendship, only to have politics and antisemitism destroy it. The photography is awesome. The acting superb. A terribly tragic feeling is left with the viewer at the end of the film, although one can also find redemption. A haunting movie.

10sshriber

I felt extremely touched by this movie.

Every time I talk about or remember this movie, I feel very touched and emotional. It made a tremendous impression upon me. I consider the acting extremely well done. The characters were very convincing. I found it an exercise with dealing with prejudice. For anybody who has had close friendships in their adolescent, I would recommend this film.

9Hans-P

Nostalgia

Despite some traumatic sequences, this picture boasts careful, almost nostalgic location work in Stuttgart and the Schwarzwald. The conclusion may surprise you, mainly because the actions of the characters don't appear to foreshadow it at all. Nevertheless, it's a good piece of work, worthy of home-video release.

9d-imdb

Emotional and surprising, great acting

Robards delivers a wonderful performance as an aging Jewish man who was sent away from Germany aged 16 in 1932 by his parents, for his own safety. He'd befriended a high-born non-Jewish boy his age prior to his departure. He returns to Germany to find out what happened to his friend. The ending is surprising and very deeply moving as a result of the significant, lengthy, and gratifying cinematic demonstration of their growing friendship as boys.

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Trivia
In an interview made for the French DVD release in 2014, director Jerry Schatzberg explains that Anne François, the films producer, suggested that he should read Fred Uhlman's novel for a possible collaboration. He really liked the book and its "story of friendship in the beginning of the Nazi period". Schatzberg decided to hire a mostly British cast and a British screen writer to make the movie "feel more European". He came up with two names for a writer but they weren't available. A friend of the producer personally sent the book to Harold Pinter, who soon replied that he "loves the story". Schatzberg was reluctant to use Pinter at first, he couldn't envision Pinter's name on the script, and he was slightly intimidated by him. But after the two had a long conversation, Schatzberg was convinced that Pinter was the only person for the job.