The Odessa File

Rating:
Summary: Not a bit dated
Review: "Period pieces" often age well, and The Odessa File is no exception. It's 1963, and the movie makes you realize that that's not so long after the war, really, and it shaped the lives of young people like Jon Voight's character who bore no adult responsibility for it.

Well-acted and -written, with most of the suspense coming from clever plot developments rather than action sequences (well, except one realistic, bruising fight). I'd forgotten what a low-key, intelligent, attractive actor Voight is.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible.
Review: 'The Odessa File' is one of those speculative fantasies for which Frederick Forsyth is famous, alternative scenarios inserted into history and tricked out with so much 'factual' detail as to seem convincing. Well, that's the idea anyway. This film makes much of its basis in fact and plausible hypothesis - it opens with a Forsyth-signed prologue averring the 'documentary research' behind the work; celebrated Nazi- hunter Simon Wiesenthal has a credit as consultant, and even has a cameo as himself (and, significantly, considering the talent on display, turns in the one natural performance of the film). Documents themselves play a vital role - the titular file is the Maguffin that records a major conspiracy; a diary found with the remains of a Jewish suicide prompts the film's action. The film's setting is precise and meaningful - the day and aftermath of JFK's assassination; the Israeli-Egyptian war. Experts are wheeled in within the film to explain to the hero (and us) the minutae of various crises.

All this counts for nothing. Jon Voight is a German journalist whose family has a Nazi past and who, after reading the diary of a Riga concentration camp survivor, decides to uncover the commandant long missing, presumed dead. His investigative progress is hampered by a supposedly democratic system (police, judiciary, big business etc.), that seems crammed with senior ex-Nazis.

Reasons for the film's failure are legion, but the fatal one is the sacrificing of the 'documentary' angle in favour of a bogus, typically Hollywood personal quest. For all its flaws, Fred Zinneman's 'The Day Of the Jackal' worked because of its distanced style and its refusal to 'psychologise' (sic?) its anti-hero; the various Hollywood cliches used to 'humanise' the hero (secret in family past that must be exorcised; relationship difficulties; sense of personal failure blahblah) remind us we're watching a contrived fiction, and not even a passable simulacra of a documentary. But we didn't really need reminding - the intrusive music (by Andrew Lloyd Webber!), the aforementioned poor thesping (complete with annoying 'international cast' dubbing), perfunctory direction and dreary script has already done this for us.

Worse, for a film made in the mid-70s, when even major Hollywood studios were experimenting in realism, the look of 'File' is laughably dated (over-lit, over-composed, stagy), with even real locations looking like flat studio sets. Its pseudo-Melvillean pretensions recall ersatz big-budget follies like 'Night Of The Generals' and 'Funeral In Berlin' rather than the real thing. When you think Fassbinder was writing his sour postcards from the post-Nazi FDR at the same time, this film's dinosaur status becomes lumberingly apparent.

Rating:
Summary: The 70s rule.
Review: For some reason this is one of the few movies I've always been able to tolerate in its pan & scan version, no doubt because the story is so involving. It's the kind of thriller that grabs your attention from the start, and is never dull. And after watching this glorious new letterboxed DVD transfer, there's no going back to the old tape. -This is how it's supposed to look, and believe me, it's beautiful. The film is full of great scenes looking even greater now, making me a bigger fan of it than I already was to begin with. The pace and look of this movie, the way it's constructed, is the way ALL movies should generally look. Sadly they just don't make them like this anymore; a fact that will only highten your appreciation of this immaculate piece of movie-making.

Rating:
Summary: Holds your attention
Review: I am glad I did not read the book first as this film has to tell the story minus many of the sub plots. However there are enough left to keep you well off balance. If it is your first time through the movie some of the plots are evasive.

It is definitely a Forsyth story with a good mixture of fact, myth, and plausibility. Well it could happen. The film is permeated with rising action; in several places you have no time to catch your breath. You will find your self kibitzing as "Don't make that phone call!"

The story was best told with black and white flashbacks to explain what happened in history to support today's (1974) action.

Reporter, Peter Miller comes in possession of a diary of a man that survived Riga concentration camp. Something he reads encourages him to seek SS Captain Eduard Roschmann, the commandant of the camp, who was presumed dead. In his endeavor he is thwarted at every turn by the authorities. Finally one posing as a doctor confirms Roshmann's existence by his very insistent that Roschmann is dead.

In the beginning we hear of President Kennedy's death which triggers the end of innocents. This combined with the overlapping plot of the Egyptians to build missiles, overlays Peter's personal pursuit with that of a Jewish organization attempting to infiltrate the Odessa (Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen),an organization to reorganize and protect prominent people that where in the "National Socialist German Workers' Party".

Will Peter succeed with his mission (what ever it is) or will he be hindered by the Jewish organization? Will the organization succeed in thwarting the Egyptian missile plot or be hindered by Peter? Is SS Captain Roschmann still alive and if so what is he up to.

Rating:
Summary: A Forgotten Jew...el
Review: I do not need to go into the plot breakdown as Scott Whear "cookieman108" did a masterful job of that.
I will just say briefly that this movie is a Class A suspense movie, that sort of has an Omen /Boys from Brazilish atmospheric to it.
The movie just works from every angle and Voight was impeccable in this role.
There is something almost melodically hypnotic about the narration when the diary/journal is being read and the plot twist at the end is a complete stunner.
This is not a movie you can quit watching.
Even if someone had no interest in history they could watch it and fully grasp every detail and still be on the edge of their seat.
Some movies try hard but fall short...this one never seems to try at all, no one seems to act...all the characters are real, and just unaware they are being filmed.

Also...don't let the 1974 thing throw you. The Odessa
File is set in 1963.

So unlike a 1974 film set in...1974 with...1974 automobiles and hairstyles, this is a 1963 period piece that seemed as fresh and mesmerizing of a tale from 1963...last night, as it must have in 1974!


This is a 7 star movie!

Rating:
Summary: A Classic Thriller
Review: I first saw "The Odessa File" in the late seventies and I recall being very impressed at the time. So when I came across the DVD version at Mediaplay, I couldn't resist getting it to see if it would stand the test of time . I am glad I did because Ronald Naeme's film is as compelling and entertaining now as when I first saw it.

Jon Voight stars as journalist Peter Miller who learns that an infamous Nazi may still be alive. Miller decides to try and track down the war criminal (played by Maximillian Schell) and bring him to justice. The film is helped by solid acting throughout, outstanding cinematography, and an effective score by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The climactic scene between Voight and Schell is absolutely brilliant. The DVD transfer is excellent and of a quality not usually seen in a seventies film with both widescreen and fullscreen versions included. Do yourself a favor and rediscover this classic and underrated gem!

Rating:
Summary: Great movie, poor acting
Review: I heard a lot of god things about the movie and recently bought it on Amazon.com. I am big fan of the world war II movies and this seems to be one for my collection. While this movie is a thrilling espionage classic, I havent seen worse acting in any other movie. I never was impressed by Jon Voight and this movie only reinforced my feelings. If you intend to buy this movie, I would recommend renting it first and then decide.

Rating:
Summary: I Loved this...
Review: I really enjoyed the book. And i was hoping that the movie would stay true to the book - and it did. Jon Voight has been perfectly cast. This movie travels at a livley pace and never fails to entertain. I thoroughly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: not as good as the book but pretty decent
Review: The book is better (it usually is) but the movie stays true to it and is a pretty decent one overall. Absolutely nothing fancy about it; no exotic sets and no dazzling special effects or stunts. This isn't an action movie, so there's not any real action sequences either. What it is is a suspense tale, a story of one man's quest for the truth. A nice blend of history and current events, which derives from the book the movie is based on; its author, Frederick Forsyth, is one of the best storytellers around. If you like the movie, you'll definitely enjoy his books.

Rating:
Summary: A well-crafted suspense thriller
Review: The year is 1963...as the world is reeling from the assassination of President Kennedy, Egypt has missiles posed to annihilate Israel. The only thing preventing this is the lack of guidance technology to properly target the missiles, which Egypt is on the verge of obtaining with assistance from a group of Germans, once officers within the SS during World War II, now members of a group called Odessa, a clandestine organization designed to assist ex-German military personal gain new identities and lives, thereby avoiding capture, after the end of the war.

The Odessa File (1974) takes the popular Frederick Forsyth novel of the same name, which is supposedly based on actual facts and events, and presents it as a truly wonderful, tense thriller that I really enjoyed. Directed by accomplished cinematographer and director Ronald Neame, the film stars Jon Voight as freelance German journalist Peter Miller and Maximilian Schell as an ex-German officer named Eduard Roschmann, a man responsible for horrible atrocities, earning him the nickname `The Butcher', during his tenure as head of a concentration camp which housed Jewish prisoners. After the passing of an elderly Jewish survivor of a WWII concentration camp, Miller comes into possession of a diary kept by the man, one which detailed, in particular, the various crimes against humanity by Roschmann, and also seemed to indicate that the war criminal may still be alive. As Miller begins delving into the story, uncovering tidbits of information, he meets resistance in the form of various individuals, many of which turn out to be members of the secret Odessa organization, and are now actively working against Miller for fears that he may uncover their secrets.

As Miller gets closer to uncovering the truths, the resistance against him grows, and takes the form of actual attempts on his life. Around this time he comes into contact with a Jewish group, working to locate the site within Germany that's developing the guidance system for the Egyptian rockets, and Miller agrees to work with them, changing his identity in order to become an ex-German officer and enable him access to the Odessa organization. In exchange for this, Miller will supply the group with information, while he himself tries to get closer to Roschmann. As Miller infiltrates the group, his cover is eventually blown, but not before he learns of the existence of the Odessa file, documents that detail many of the members within the group, including Roschmann. The goal now is survival, and given the circumstances, his chances seem pretty slim.

I have not actually read the book, but I really liked this film. Jon Voight is wonderful and believable, German accent and all, as a reporter, seemingly driven by a determination to expose a subversive hideousness, once prominent in his country, that has now gone underground, and threatens yet again a great many peoples of the world. Listed as a thriller/drama, The Odessa File certainly doesn't disappoint. The plot, while having many twists and turns, keeps focused, and rarely falters in its' progression. The development of the characters is carefully planned, but not so to bring attention to the fact, allowing for the viewer to become drawn into the film. The exposition at the beginning was a little awkward to me, but I didn't see any other way around it, so I accepted it. Schell provides an excellent performance as an ex-German officer hiding in broad daylight, one who will resort to any means necessary to protect his secrets, along with those of the Odessa group. One point I enjoyed was near the end, as a particular revelation was made. Prior to that point, I had started to question one of the main character's motivations, and, as if the film knew what I was thinking, it answered my question in a completely satisfying manner. The film runs just over two hours, and the first half may seem slow, but I felt as if this was deliberate, allowing time for the story to develop. During the second half the film picks up speed as the tension mounts, drawing on the momentum carefully constructed in the beginning, resulting in a wholly enjoyable conclusion. Given the nature of realizing novels to film, I suspect a number of plot elements were left out, but what was left seemed to be missing very little, at least anything that left a glaring hole which would pull the viewer out of the movie with its' obviousness, which indicates a skillful adaptation of original source material, done with care to preserve the elements which made the book so very popular and well received. All in all, this is a really thrilling outing, one that requires a little patience, but provides a rewarding experience overall.

Presented on this release are really good looking prints, both in wide screen and full screen formats (it's double-sided). The audio seems a bit soft, but there are English subtitles, so I missed nothing. As far as special features, there are some well put together production notes in a four page booklet within the DVD case, an original theatrical trailer, talent biographies for actors Voight, Schell, and director Neame, and trailers for Anaconda (1997) and Oliver Stone's U-Turn (1997), neither film as good as this one, but both certainly benefiting from Voight's appearance...and that's another thing...remember when Jon Voight appeared in good films? Along with this film, I also count Midnight Cowboy (1969), Catch-22 (1970), Deliverance (1972), and Runaway Train (1985) to be some real highlights of his career...and let's look at some of his more recent films...Most Wanted (1997), The Karate Dog (2004), and Baby Geniuses 2 (2004)...not exactly the caliber of films early in his career, but who knows what the future holds?

Cookieman108