Les goûteuses d'Hitler

No pun intended - the "job" of people having to taste food before the dear leader eats something ... it is as old as ... as far as I know they did it in China way back ... at least that's what I've heard. Whatever the case, Hitler was not the first one to come up with this - but apparently this was not well known until recently, when the last surviving member of a "taste team" spoke out about it.

Not sure how close this is to the truth ... but suspension of disbelief is always important. The story moves along nicely ... it is predictable in the context of what it is ...

A few years ago, Silvio Soldini fascinated me with his comedy Bread and Tulips.

This time, he turns to drama with a film set in the final days of Nazi Germany: the story of one of the women forced to taste the Führer's food, as the German dictator lived in constant fear of being poisoned.

In my view, the result is solid, though in the second half I would have developed the plot differently, giving a stronger sense of closure to the unusual story of the group of food tasters rather than shifting toward the more familiar themes of Nazi Germany. Still, the film, said to be based on a true story and the book that recounts it, is engaging and historically interesting.

I appreciated how it captures the oppressive atmosphere of the time through characters who feel authentic rather than stereotypical. The leading actress, Elisa Schlott, both talented and beautiful, is convincing as a young woman trapped in an impossible situation, yet capable of generosity and quiet strength.

I also liked that the movie offers a feminine point of view on history: not just the great battles, but the burden of women's roles. There's perhaps a hint of rhetoric in the portrayal of female solidarity and their defiance of conformity, propaganda, and even the SS officers-politically correct and entertaining on screen, but not entirely convincing.