Conspiracy (2001) (TV)

Director:

Frank Pierson

Writer (WGA):

Loring Mandel (written by)

Release Date:

19 May 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

One Of The Greatest Crimes Against Humanity Was Perpetrated In Just Over An Hour.

Plot:

A dramatic recreation of the Wannsee Conference where the Nazi Final Solution phase of the Holocaust was devised.

Plot Keywords:

No Music | Conference | Conspiracy | Holocaust | Nazi

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Kenneth Branagh	...	Reinhard Heydrich
Clare Bullus	...	Maid (as Claire Bullus)
Stanley Tucci	...	Adolf Eichmann
Simon Markey	...	Stenographer
David Glover	...	Supervising Butler
David Willoughby	...	Orderly #1
Tom Hiddleston	...	Phone Operator
David Spinx	...	Cook
Dirk Martens	...	NCO
Barnaby Kay	...	Rudolf Lange
Peter Sullivan	...	SS.Col. Eberhard 'Karl' Schöngarth
Ben Daniels	...	Dr. Joseph Bühler
Andreas Günther	...	NCO2 (as Andreas Guenther)
Ewan Stewart	...	Dr. Georg Leibbrandt
Brian Pettifer	...	Dr. Alfred Meyer

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | German

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-3 | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

This production used an almost theatrical performance style during shooting. The performers stayed in costume and character from the start to the end of each day of filming. A set was used with solid (non-moving) walls and ceilings, to reinforce the reality of the setting, and eliminate any delays for changing camera or lighting setups. The action was filmed in extremely long sequences, sometimes 20 pages or more of script at a stretch, which is unusual in this type of production. However many of the actors have a Shakespearean background, and having to memorize this amount of dialogue was not a new experience for them. The production style required the use of the Super 16 film format. This was needed because of the longer film magazines available for those cameras, and also the smaller size, allowing the cameras to get in very close to the performers sitting around a conference table, the setting used for the bulk of the story.

Goofs:

Factual errors: As Heydrich arrives for the conference in his Storch aircraft, an overhead shot of the aircraft shows it with swastika markings on the upper surfaces of both wings. Luftwaffe aircraft bore the swastika on their vertical tail surfaces only. The wings and fuselages were marked with the the traditional straight cross national insignia.

Quotes:

Lange: Yes.
Dr. Joseph Bühler: I would like to urge that speed that Dr. Meyer asked of you. The Poles are not as disciplined a population as we Germans. And I will report our will to the Governor General.
Heydrich: He will understand that I'm relieving him of a burden, Colonel?
SS.Col. Eberhard 'Karl' Schöngarth: I thoroughly approve and I'm anxious to start. I look forward to working with your office, and yours, Colonel.
Dr. Roland Freisler: The sooner, the better.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 59th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2002) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Adagio from 'String Quintet in C Major', D. 956, op. post. 163

Powerful and Chilling

This movie could have been entitled, "how to chair a board meeting" or "how not to chair a board meeting" - given that the outcome of the meeting was the "final solution".

Gen. Heidrich with consumate skill and care manipulated the gathered Nazi hierarchy to the pre-arranged and pre-destined solution to the Jewish question.

There are a number of moments of exceptional power in the movie - one is where Kritzinger realises the truth, another is where Heidrich makes it clear to Shtukhard that he will be victimised if he does not cooperate. But the best moment must be when even those in favour realise that they are not there to decide the matter but to be to lend their complicity to the pre-made decision.

The psychology of the writing is insprired. I have never been so totally captivated by the mix of acting, subject matter and drama. This is a must see.