The Cold Room (1984) (TV)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

James Dearden

Writers:

Jeffrey Caine (novel)
James Dearden (writer)

Release Date:

24 March 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

A girl brought to modern Germany experiences events that occurred during the World War II era. |

Plot Keywords:

Cabinet | Incest | Dissident | Jewish | Europe

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

George Segal	...	Hugh Martin
Amanda Pays	...	Carla Martin / Christa Bruckner
Renée Soutendijk	...	Lili
Warren Clarke	...	Wilhelm Bruckner
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	Frau Hoffman
Clifford Rose	...	Moltke
Ursula Howells	...	Headmistress
George Pravda	...	The Doctor
Lucy Hornack	...	Sophie
Gertan Klauber	...	Older Nazi
Stuart Wolfe	...	Young Man
Wolf Rüdiger Reutermann	...	Customs Officer
Judich Melische	...	Young Woman
Anthony Higgins	...	Erich

Also Known As:

The Prisoner

Runtime:

USA:95 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

East Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Company:

HBO Premiere Films

Goofs:

Factual errors: Approximately 71 minutes into the movie, when Heir Bruckner (Warren Clarke) is driving his daughter, Christa (Amanda Pays), home after picking her up from Nazi Headquarters, they are obviously in a British car. Heir Bruckner is driving from the right-hand side of the car, not the left-hand side as it would be in Germany.

It'll leave you...um...cold

This was a made-for-cable affair, but is/was available on VHS. The main and overriding sense one gets in watching this film is, "Great Scott! Will somebody wake these people up?" Which is another way of saying it is boring and dreary. But more than that, it seems like the whole production is in some sort of funk. Start with George Segal. I'm a fan. He may be remembered to people now as the guy from "Just Shoot Me." But up until the early 80s, the guy was a capital-letters Movie Star, whose main asset was a sense of fun and vigor he brought into the various quirky roles he played. His star was fading when this was made and it is clear why. In THE COLD ROOM, he seems preoccupied, dazed, out of it. Just sad to see a once- vibrant person bring nothing to the table.

But he's not the only one. Pays (Mrs. Corbin Bernson), has little spark to her character. The whole plot involves people in present-day Germany, one of whom discovers a link to a past romance with a character from Germany's Nazi past. It might have helped if Pays (or anyone else) brought a little energy to the set. But since the whole thing is pretty lifeless, directed by the book, scripted with no surprises, etc...the "who cares" factor is high. The movie is inoffensive but seems almost intentionally boring. Like the people who made it wanted it to be quickly forgotten.