No Knowledge is useless : even forgery !

No Knowledge is useless : even forgery ! [ enna dhairiyathula nee title elllaam vaikara !! ]

The counterfeiters [ 2007 - Drama / German ]

Directed by : Stefan Ruzowitzky.

Plot:

It's a fictional flick based on 'Operation Bernhard'**. The film opens with a Jewish counterfeiter [ SME named Salomon - Sal] spending n enjoying life in Monte Carlo. He builds relation with a new girl and she finds a tattoo [ prisoner of Auschwitz ] in his body which unveils the flashback. [ a good technique : always needed to grab the viewer into the film ]. Back in 1936 : Sal is arrested in Berlin for forging currencies and passports [ he runs a workshop ] and moved to a local concentration camp. He uses his talent for his survival - he draw portraits of the jailers. They treat him better. After 5 years, Sal is moved then to 'Sachsenhausen' concentration camp where they run a forgery workshop.He gets assignments for forging pounds and US dollars. He gets a friend who ideally opposes to help Nazis for this operation.

The film questions more about the personal morale about survival and loyalty. How Sal completed the work ? How he manages his loyalty to his friends ? How he survived ? What choice(s) did he make ? The story ends back in Monte Carlo beach. the ending dialog was a good one.

History :
** Operation Bernhard : It's a secret German plan to shake the economy of the other countries especially British and US. The largest counterfeiting operation ever happened in history. This 130 million pounds, cash swindling operation happened during the world war II.

View :
The hero is not a Rambo kind of person rather he is short and thin. This war movie is interesting instead of getting into emotions. The picture handles the mentality in camp about survival, choices etc., The guards spit on him and abuse him. He withstands all of them without giving up his skills. His friends urge him to give up forgery as they indirectly help Nazis to get empowered.

The way the film starts and end is too good for a darker flashback. Unlike the other concentration camp movies, this shows a luxurious set of prisoners who get proper food and care. The arguments between Sal and his friends are interesting as both of their stands have justifications. The police inspector who arrests Sal first, is the commandant in the Sachsenhausen camp. His character was also used properly.

Very interesting movie in the holocaust series and also, it won the academy award for the best foreign lang picture in 2007.

Other Holocaust movies I watched [ Let me be little humble here - because till now, there are 343 movies made, based on Holocaust !! ]. I had been to Holocaust museum in Washington DC, once [ seen the original wooden wagon used for transportation ].

1. Schindler's list [ I watched it in Sathyam :) - Class ]

2. The Pianist - Good one

3. Life is beautiful - Excellent one.

4. Downfall [ German - Good one ].

Happy watching. Small n first step in writing my reviews !