Varian's War (2001) (TV)

Director:

Lionel Chetwynd

Writer (WGA):

Lionel Chetwynd (written by)

Release Date:

22 April 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

He changed the world forever. One person at a time. The true story of the American Schindler.

Plot:

Varian Fry rescues more than 2,000 artists from Nazi persecution during World War II.

Plot Keywords:

Artist | Nazi | WWII | Refugee | Character Name In Title

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

William Hurt	...	Varian Fry
Julia Ormond	...	Miriam Davenport
Matt Craven	...	Beamish
Maury Chaykin	...	Marcello
Alan Arkin	...	Freier
Lynn Redgrave	...	Alma Werfel-Mahler
Rémy Girard	...	Colonel Joubert (as Remy Girard)
Christopher Heyerdahl	...	Marius Franken
Gloria Carlin	...	Bella Chagall
Joel Miller	...	Marc Chagall
Vlasta Vrana	...	Franz Werfel
John Dunn-Hill	...	Heinrich Mann
Ted Whittall	...	Harry Bingham
Dorothée Berryman	...	Mme Fanny
Howard Ryshpan	...	Konditorei Owner

Also Known As:

Varian Fry, un héros oublié (Canada: French title)

Runtime:

Canada:121 min | Israel:115 min | Argentina:121 min

Country:

UK | USA | Canada

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Sweden:7 | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Ardent Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the beginning of the movie, Varian is holding the "Foreign Affairs" book differently depending on the camera angle.

Gripping story, well told...

This movie successfully takes one back to the dark days after the fall of France. Jews have escaped to Vichy (unoccupied, southern) France, where they are trapped as the puppet French government and Nazi forces prepare for deportations to concentration camps. (The construction of death camps still lay in the future....). Varian Fry is an American of conscience who goes to France in the days when the U.S. was still a neutral power to see if he can assist prominent Jewish intellectuals to get out and to the United States. This documentary tells the story of his actions, and the first group out. It is low-key, subtle, but gripping in a very human way.... It truly takes one back into a time when good and evil not only coexisted, but shook hands, exchanged pleasantries, dined together, and smiled across the abyss at each other's visage.... Put this on your 'must see' list -- and take the kids, too!