Fatherland (1994) (TV)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Christopher Menaul

Writers (WGA):

Robert Harris (novel)
Stanley Weiser (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

26 November 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

It's 1964. What if Hitler had won the war?

Plot:

Fictional account of what might have happend if Hitler had won the war. It is now the 1960s and Germany's war crimes have so far been kept a secret...

Plot Keywords:

Germany | Nazi | 1960s | Hitler | Genocide

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Rutger Hauer	...	SS-Sturmbannführer Xavier March
Miranda Richardson	...	Charlie Maguire
Peter Vaughan	...	SS-Oberstgruppenführer Artur Nebe
Michael Kitchen	...	SS-Untersturmführer Max Jäger
Jean Marsh	...	Anna von Hagen
John Woodvine	...	Franz Luther
John Shrapnel	...	SS-Obergruppenführer Odilo 'Globus' Globocnik
Clive Russell	...	Krebs
Clare Higgins	...	Klara
Pavel Andel	...	Man in Dark Coat
Petronella Barker	...	Helga Schröter, Tour Guide (as Petronella O. Barker)
Sarah Berger	...	Leni Kalder
Jan Bidlas	...	Bellboy
Stuart Bunce	...	Blind Soldier
Charles De'Ath	...	Fake Porter

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Germany:16 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Eis Film

Trivia:

Mike Nichols bought the bestselling novel for $1 Million, intending to produce it as a theatrical film. When none of the Hollywood studios were interested, the production was reduced to a TV movie for HBO.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Shortly after her arrival to Berlin, the American journalist is seen walking on the street with a row of Nazi flags waving on the other side of the street behind her. These flags are seen showing the obverse, since the hoist is on the right side. However, the swastikas on the flags appear pointing in the correct direction instead of the "Z" shape that should have been seen.

Quotes:

Artur Nebe: You're a good promotion prospect, Xavi, leave this alone and you could go far. You can't afford to make an enemy of Globus... or of me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 52nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1995) (TV)

A true surprise

Re-baptized LE CREPUSCULE DES AIGLES (TWILIGHT OF THE EAGLES) by a French cable-TV chain, it was the only watchable movie on a raining election afternoon when I watched it, after mistaking it for a WWI air combat film starring George Peppard. To my great surprise, I learned from the introduction sequence that the Allies had been stormed back into the Channel in June 1944, then the US brought home the G.I's,Edward VIII came back with Queen Wallis, while Churchill retired to Canada, and Joe Kennedy became President of the United States, scheduled to meet Hitler in 1964, for the latter's 75th birthday. Then I understood I was watching a TV rendition of Robert Harris' masterpiece, which I had savoured almost ten years ago... Rutger Hauer was unusually mysterious as a quiet SS man, the setting (made in the Baranov studios of Prague, a bargain for advantageous filming of mid-century action) was excellent, with an interesting suggestion of the Albert Speer monumental project. I wonder who had the idea to schedule this film the very day when the French voters sent an unanimous rejection of the extreme right (May 5th, 2002), and under an enigmatic name (it had never been shown before, either on TV or theatres). harry carasso, paris