It is a little known fact that the first film ever made about WWII was a comedy by the Three Stooges called “You Nazi Spy”, released in 1940.
My favourite film, the movie I am critically and emotionally attached to is “The Great Dictator”, written, directed, acted and financed by Charlie Chaplin. He was one of the greatest talents who ever lived.
Chaplin started to work on this movie in 1937! What a vision! At this time the idea that the Nazis did anything wrong was unpopular. So Chaplin took full responsibility for the creation of his movie. If you do not like old movies it is imperative you at least listen to the last five minutes of “The Great Dictator”.
It is my honest belief that if we listen to Chaplin’s words said in 1947 we can create a wonderful world here on earth!
It is interesting to note that it was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and didn’t win any, however it was the biggest box office seller at the time with governments using it in several countries.
I personally could write a book about this amazing film and its creator, Charlie Chaplin.
The other Holocaust movie I liked was of course “Schindler’s List” from 1993. The movie was produced by Steven Spielberg. The original book was written by our own National Australian Treasure, Thomas Keneally. If you wish to visit the Sydney Mechanics Library smsa.org.au/library/, you will be treated to the correspondence between these two fantastic men.
Another movie that had an influence on me was “Sunshine”, a film was made in 1999. It is a story about a family in Hungary from before WWII through to the rise of communism.
It has won several awards. The film shows the Russian tanks putting down the Hungarian revolution. I actually saw those same tanks but in real life as I witnessed them from my window in Hungary.
Throughout history from 1937 until today countless films were made in many countries about WWII and the Holocaust. To name a few:
“Sophie’s Choice” 1982:
The harrowing experience of a young Jewish woman through the Holocaust and the effects on her later life. The film starred Meryl Streep and she won an Oscar for her role.
“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” 2008: A story about a small boy befriending another boy in striped pajamas.
“The Pianist” 2002: Based on true story of W. Szpilman.
Film masterpiece “Casablanca” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman is about a hardnosed café owner Rick who changes and becomes a freedom fighter against Hitler’s Germany.
Another masterpiece is “The Third Man”. It stars Orson Welles who gets into the black market selling penicillin just after WWII.
This movie was used as part of my research as this is exactly what my mother did in 1946. First she found penicillin on the black market to save my life, and then entered the black market so her family could survive.
I truly recommend you see these movies if you have not seen them. They are great entertainment and informative about a not so pleasant part of our history.
If we do not learn from our past how can we change our future, we must care!
In conclusion, I know “Georgina” is different from these masterpieces. It does not contain concentration camps and true horror. It is a woman in the nineteen forties daring to defy the system of her times.