The Odessa File
The Odessa File
PG | 18 October 1974 (USA)
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Following the suicide of an elderly Jewish man, investigative journalist Peter Miller sets out to hunt down an SS Captain and former concentration camp commander. In doing so he discovers that, despite allegations of war crimes, the former commander has become a man of importance in industry in post-war Germany, protected from prosecution by a powerful organisation of former SS members called Odessa.

Reviews
YouHeart

I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Forumrxes

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

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Gary

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

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Marva

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

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npocher

I have read all the criticisms of 'The Odessa File' but they make no difference to my opinion of the film. I have watched it time and time again, and it never fails to grip me in many different ways. It was one of the first intelligent films made about the young Germans' struggle to understand and come to terms with what was done in their own country. The tension carries through the whole film without any sensational violence to the final scene when the surprise unfolds. Ronald Neame certainly deserved his BAFTA and Frederic Forsyth wrote a cracking story. Makes you proud to be British. The critics can carry on nit picking about a character's age and 'unrealistic' fight scenes, but I will continue to watch the film when it appears again and again.

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LeonLouisRicci

If getting away with Murder is intolerable, then getting away with Mass Murder is more than intolerable. So the fact that many Nazi War Criminals escaped at Wars end unblemished and prospering is the stuff that can enrage anyone.So from the beginning in this taut and incredibly tense Thriller we are behind the Protagonist and His attempt at finding and dealing with this Scum. Jon Voight gives a powerful, restrained Performance and is helped by some rather cold, but beautiful Cinematography.In fact, the Movie is so well shot that it doesn't look like a lot of cheesy and unattractive Seventies Films. There are remarkable Scenes, like the one in the Beer Hall that are so well Produced for such a short running time that one wonders why they bothered, but glad they did. It gives an authenticity to the proceedings and it is this sort of visual detail that makes this an above average affair.This is not an elaborate but chilling way to realize the subject matter and the Movie is never boring or disengaging. It has a deliberate and relentless take on a complicated situation. It never fails to intrigue and has a controlled environment of a determined Journalist way above His head, but tenacious in resolve. This is an enduring, factual Story that even Today never ceases to be involving.

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phd_travel

This thriller should go down as a classic. It has a convincing story a rare thing in movies that try to blend historical fact and fiction. It's tense from beginning to end and doesn't have annoying red herrings or plot twists.The casting is perfect. Maximillian Schell is ideal as the Nazi war criminal. Jon Voight is surprisingly convincing as a German accent and all. Good use of European supporting cast to avoid a fake feel.Good on location feel to it. Liked the evocative score too.It's one of the best thrillers about WWII subject matter even though it is set after the war.

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thinker1691

From the skillful and adroit hand of master novelist Frederick Forsythe comes this suspenseful story which begins in the wet streets of Berlin and traces itself to a WW II concentration camp called Riga. The movie is called " The Odessa File " and is based on the secret organization which helps ex-Nazis escape justice. Jon Voight plays Peter Miller a young German journalist who is intrigued by the diary of a survivor of the Riga death camp and left a journal identifying the 'Butcher' of Riga. With that diary, Miller decides to investigate if in fact Eduard Roschmann (Maximilian Schell) is still at large. Endangering his life and that of his girlfriend, Miller learns that Mossad, the Israeli Intelligence arm is also trying to locate the source of a electrical missile guidance system threatening Israel. With the help of Simon Wiesenthal (Shmuel Rodensky) and Mossad, Miller infiltrates the Oddessa organization and soon discovers Klaus Wenzer (Derek Jacobi) the man behind the false identifications given to escaping Nazis. However, Oddessa agents also discover who Miller really is and send their own men to dispose of him. The film is filled with intrigue, dark drama and tingling suspense and with Voight at the helm, this movie will soon join only the best which have all become Classics. ****

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