 |
The Couple by John Daly
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
DVD Cover InformationActor: Caroline Carver, Danny Webb, Judy Parfitt, Kenny Doughty, Martin Landau Director: John Daly Brand: First Look Pictures Producer: John Daly Writer: John Daly Producer: Arcadiy Golubovich Producer: Ilya Golubovich Producer: Irina Szufarska Writer: Kendrew Lascelles Writer: Lance Miccio DVD: Region Code 1 Audio: Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language) Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen Picture Format: 1.85:1 Running Time: 120 minutes DVD Release Date: 2007-01-16 Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Studio: First Look Pictures
Movie Reviews of The CoupleMovie Review: Puzzling and inauthentic but emotionally gripping Summary: 5 Stars
DISCLAIMER: I am attempting here to explain my issues of the film without giving away too much of the plot! But if you don't want to know about the unresolved issues in the film, skip this review!
I remain quite puzzled by THE COUPLE, and the reviews I've read here about it. Having studied Nazi Germany and watched many films on the subject, I found it difficult to take this one seriously because several facets of it weren't realistic. Self-sacrificing Nazis who risk their own lives for the sake of Jews? Nazis who honor agreements made with Jews and escort a huge extended Jewish family escape to Switzerland after taking their assets - when they could easily have taken their assets and then sent them to Auschwitz?
Did Nazi officials really feel inclined to tell the truth and honor contracts and promises made with Jews seeking to escape....even going out of their way to be nice and helpful to them and grant them additional wishes not in their contracts as a gesture of kindness? Certainly we have a Nazi or two in power in the film who is seeking an excuse to send the family to Auschwitz....but the motives for saving them aren't made clear in the film. What am I missing here?
Sure there were the bad guy strongly antisemitic Nazis as key characters in the film, but there doesn't seem to a clear enough motive for the "good Nazis" for us to find them convincing. This isn't a movie about Schindler, or even, as in the excellent Black Book, about a Nazi who attempts to avoid the violent actions of his fellow officers, and save a few Jews along the way. If the motives for the actions of several key Nazi officers here were entirely financial, then they didn't have to be as considerate as they were, esp. once they had the signed contract they sought. And if their motives were indeed humane, then we needed to understand their characters more to learn why they (or at least one in particular) put his life at risk to save a family.
Regardless of issues I raised above, I did enjoy this film, found it quite suspenseful, and thought the actress playing Ingrid was particularly appealing, Butthroughout the last half, the film became increasingly unbelievable.
Summary of The CoupleCOUPLE - DVD Movie
|
 |
|
|
Nazi Hunters: The Real StoryDigital1stop; Release date: 2010-01-19; DVDBest price: $3.33Price in other shops: $9.98
Colditz: The Complete 2-Part MiniseriesTimeless Media Group; Release date: 2007-06-05; DVDBest price: $3.52Price in other shops: $7.98
Broken SilenceUniversal Studios; Release date: 2004-03-09; DVDBest price: $2.99Price in other shops: $26.98
Out of the AshesShowtime Entertainment; Release date: 2004-04-20; DVDBest price: $8.47Price in other shops: $14.98
The Devil's ArithmeticShowtime Entertainment; Release date: 2004-09-21; DVDBest price: $8.55Price in other shops: $14.98
A Day in OctoberTango; Release date: 2006-06-27; DVDBest price: $5.57Price in other shops: $14.98
The Only WayVideo Communications Inc.; Release date: 2010-07-27; DVDBest price: $6.96Price in other shops: $14.99
Wallenberg: A Hero's StoryPAR; Release date: 2011-04-05; DVDBest price: $10.73Price in other shops: $16.99
Hidden in SilenceEcho; Release date: 2010-07-06; DVDBest price: $3.35Price in other shops: $6.99
Miracle at MidnightBuena Vista Home Video; Release date: 2004-03-02; DVDBest price: $5.52Price in other shops: $14.99
|