Fascinating drama told, for all intents and purposes, in real time, about a conference of several high level Nazis in 1942, from which came the official decision to “permanently evacuate” Jewish people in gas chambers. It’s basically a filmed recreation of a transcript of the meeting found in the files of one it’s participants (the one who died in a concentration camp, ironically enough). Kenneth Branagh presides over everyone as Reinhard Heydrich, he already knows exactly what’s going to happen and just takes his time, patiently listening to everyone’s input before announcing that the decision has already been made. Stanely Tucci is Adolf Eichmann, the most famous attendee, Colin Firth is Dr. Wilhelm Stuckart, one of the few who seem to have something close to a conscience, and Ian McNiece is Dr. Gerhard Klopfer, whose opinion of Jews is in the majority. There are several other major players, each of whom contribute to the discussion, thinking that they are there to have their thoughts considered. It’s shocking how these men regard Jews, especially when the list of exceptions is read, when it’s revealed that the difference between a half Jew, half German person and a ¾ Jew, ¼ German person is literally life and death. A staggering and riveting history lesson.
