Triumph of the Spirit (1989)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Robert M. Young

Writers (WGA):

Shimon Arama (story) &
Zion Haen (story) ...

Release Date:

6 April 1990 (Sweden)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Plot:

Fact based story about a former Greek Olympic boxer (Dafoe) who was taken as a prisoner during World war II and placed in the Auschwitz prison camp...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Auschwitz | Boxer | Greek | Historical

Cast

Willem Dafoe	...	Salamo Arouch
Edward James Olmos	...	Gypsy
Robert Loggia	...	Father Arouch
Wendy Gazelle	...	Allegra
Kelly Wolf	...	Elena
Costas Mandylor	...	Avram Arouch
Kario Salem	...	Jacko
Edward Zentara	...	Janush
Hartmut Becker	...	Maj. Rauscher
Burkhard Heyl	...	Aide to Rauscher
Zofia Saretok	...	Momma
Grazyna Krukówna	...	Sister Julie
Karolina Twardowska	...	Bemmi
Juranda Krol	...	Sarah
Wiktor Mlynarczyk	...	Beppo

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Poland

Company:

Nova International Films

Trivia:

Shortly after the film's release, Jacques "Jacko" Razona, a Jewish boxer from Salonika, sued the real life Salamo Arouch and the producers for $20,000,000 (US). Razona claimed that they had stolen his story, and that Arouch had grossly exaggerated his exploits. The case was later settled out of court.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The movie shows the end phase of life in Auschwitz and the forced death march as the camp is evacuated. Salamo Arouch is sent to work in the Sonderkomando in the crematorium where suddenly he witnesses the uprising and destruction of what is clearly crematorium II or III. In reality, the uprising occurred in October 1944, months before the evacuation. The SS dismantled the crematoriums over the preceding months and the forced death march evacuations occurred in late January. (In addition, the evacuation occurred in the middle of winter, the movie shows a nice sunny day, where in reality there would have been snow on the ground.)

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Making of 'Triumph of the Spirit' (1990)

Powerful and Uncompromising Film

Triumph of the Spirit takes an uncompromising view of the horrors of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, dealing with the fate of Greek gypsies, and particularly a boxing Champion Salamo Arouch who fights to amuse the brutal Nazi Officers, enabling his father's and his own survival. He was allowed life while his losing opponents perished. Based on a true story, without doubt the most devastating film ever made on the topic of death camps, it is extremely realistic in its presentation having been filmed in the bleak winter of 1989 on location in Auschwitz, and that shows. It must have effected the cast and the crew extremely. Willem Defoe's performance proves the depth of feeling that was thus achieved, and this is reflected by the whole cast. Certainly not an easy film to watch, but it is rewarding and extremely moving to those who make the effort. Perhaps in some small way this film might prevent such evil being perpetrated on the world again. A remarkable achievement that predates and eclipses Schindler's List, yet sadly not widely shown.