BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / The Eichmann Show

**Posted by REReader** January 21, 2015 11:29 am

Thank you for the review! (I do hope I can find it streaming online...)

I haven't heard the story, anyhow!

Last edited by REReader (January 21, 2015 12:37 pm)

**Posted by stoertebeker** January 21, 2015 11:52 am

Is it available on BBC iPlayer? I would really like to see it.

**Posted by besleybean** January 21, 2015 5:19 pm

Sorry, no idea....
Of course it was the trial of the century, but yes I knew nothing about thes story of filming it.

**Posted by SolarSystem** January 21, 2015 6:16 pm

stoertebeker, yes, it is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b050d2t9/the-eichmann-show

**Posted by stoertebeker** January 21, 2015 10:30 pm

Splendid! Thx

**Posted by SusiGo** January 27, 2015 2:45 pm

I just finished watching the film and here is my opinion:

Bad things first - I really did not like about the first half. It did not manage to draw me in, the inner dealings and problems of the television team, important as they may be, did not convince me. I was quite disappointed because my hopes were quite high.

But - and this is a big But - the last third alone makes the film worth watching. From the moment the older camera operator whose name I have sadly forgotten breaks down and talks about his own experience in the camp the film really picks up speed in the best possible way.

I sat there with bated breath watching the TV team watching Eichmann watching the original footage from the concentration camps, desperately waiting for a human reaction and getting none. And all the scenes including the statements of survivors were deeply impressive.

I liked the character of Leo Hurwitz best, a man who himself has been persecuted, if not by the Nazis, then by his own countrymen, i.e. McCarthy and his inhuman Anti-Communist committee.
And the scene where Fruchtman tells him that what counts is not showing Eichmann breaking down but giving the survivors a voice and saving their horrible experience from being forgotten is really moving.

As for Martin Freeman as Milton Fruchtman, he does his job well but to me Anthony LaPaglia as Hurwitz has the more rewarding part. In some scenes Fruchtman is reduced to the producer-being-ambitious-about-his-show but towards the end his character gets more depth. And as I said, in the scene mentioned above he is really good.

My favourite scene with Hurwitz happens towards the end of the film when his landlady thanks him for making the documentary and finally enabling the survivors to talk about what they endured, about giving them a voice. Hurwitz feels like a failure but this woman thanks him for something he had not realised because he was completely fixated on Eichmann. (Btw, this scene reminds me a bit of the last scene with Joan and Alan in TIG. Those who know both films will know what I am talking about).

Therefore I strongly recommend watching the film.

Last edited by SusiGo (January 27, 2015 3:20 pm)

**Posted by A lovely light** February 3, 2015 7:09 pm

I lost once again a long post, damn!

In short now, i liked it. I wish it were longer to give more time for the character developement. I actually liked more Fruchtman storyline than Hurwitz one, Hurwitz was a tad too monodimensional with his obsession towards Eichmann's humanity, Fruchtman got more shades (while in reality Horwitz had a much more interesting background story). The acting was very good, not only from Martin and Antony but also from the landlady and camera man actors, It is difficult to don't fade in preacing or patheticism with this thema, they keep it on the reality ground very well.

I didn't know anything about EIchmann before, for me was very interesting and worth my time. The archive material is so difficult to watch that i don't think i would be able to watch it full for more times.

With the budget and time they got, they made a very good project. I liked especially how they blended the archive material with the fictional one. The ending words are worth to be heard over and over.

Last edited by A lovely light (February 3, 2015 7:28 pm)

**Posted by A lovely light** February 3, 2015 7:24 pm

Here is also a very interesting Q&A with the creators of the film: http://watchinabitotheatrenstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-eichmann-show-q.html

**Posted by tonnaree** February 3, 2015 8:37 pm

Watched this over the weekend and found it very moving. Subtle performances. Excellent use of the archival footage. It had much more impact than trying to recreate everything could've had. A very interesting slice of history from a terrible time.

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** February 12, 2015 9:01 pm

There's a scene with Martin in the bath.

Worth watching for that alone.

The rest of it is very moving and serious.

But Martin in the bath....

**Posted by tonnaree** February 12, 2015 10:52 pm

Yes, Martin in a bath. *swoon*
And all I could think about were Martin's previous statements about filming nude scenes.

**Posted by Vhanja** January 17, 2016 9:52 pm

Just watched this one. To be honest, it took a while for me to get into it. But the original footage always floors me. I rarely watch Holocaust/Nazi-related movies, because it's too painful. But I think it's important every now and then to revisit this horror, to not forget it. Especially in this day and age where a new wave of religious/ethnic hatred and mistrust is sweeping across Europe.

As for Martin himself, I found him awesome as always. Halfway through the movie I forgot all about Martin, John and Bilbo - he was again a completely new character. To my Norwegian ear, he also did a good US accent.