Various commentators over the years have pointed out that while the number of movies about the horrors of Naziism is large, as it should be, the number of movies about the horrors of Communism is small, as it shouldn’t be.
Recently, TMC showed a 1953 movie directed by Elia Kazan titled Man on a Tightrope. I recorded it and my wife and I finally watched it last night. I would give it an 8 out of 10. It’s about a circus owner in Czechoslovakia in the early 1950s who wants to escape from Czechoslovakia into Bavaria, Germany and take most of his employees and most of his animals with him.
Wikipedia writes:
The screenplay by Robert E. Sherwood was based on a 1952 novel of the same title by Neil Paterson. Paterson based his true story, which first appeared as the magazine novelette International Incident, on the escape of the Circus Brumbach from East Germany in 1950. Members of the Circus Brumbach appeared in the film version in both character roles and as extras.
The plot is slightly goofy in places with some humorous moments. But the humor is badly needed to lighten the mood after some pretty sinister interrogations and threats by Communist officials.
Also the Hayekian insight about central planning is on display in the way some of the officials, one in particular, fail to take account of individuals’ circumstances of time and place.
I don’t want to say much more because I would give it away. But I do recommend it.
READER COMMENTS
Bill
Sep 27 2021 at 8:14pm
I recommend THE LIVES OF OTHERS
Alan Goldhammer
Sep 28 2021 at 7:41am
I second Bill’s pick (German title: Das Leben der Andern); it’s indeed a very chilling film. For those interested in a more thriller genre, the Deutschland trilogy (83, 86, & 89) made for German TV is excellent. It covers the East German spy organization from 1983 to the fall of the country in 1989 and can be found on Sundance streaming network. Every day life in the East is well covered.
The title of the Kazan film is ironic given he testified to the House Un-American Activities Committee.
MarkW
Sep 28 2021 at 10:12pm
Anti-communist movies and shows don’t tend to show the gulags, executions, famine or show trials (with the exception of the recent Mr Jones), but there are a number that depict the totalitarianism and oppression. Some random examples off the top of my head (the first four of which are quite recent):
Death of Stalin
Mr Jones
Chernobyl
Deutschland ’83 / ’86 / ’89
Goodbye Lenin
1984
Ninotchka
Doctor Zhivago
steve
Sep 28 2021 at 10:52pm
We have lots of movies that involve Nazis and we actually do have lots of movies with communists in them. We dont have that many movies about Nazism or communism per se. movies need to make money so you expect war movies, spy movies, whatever genre you want to call Jason Bourne movies to sell. Not so much the intricacies of Nazi or communist politics and inner workings.
Steve
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