Ben Meyers’ rating—3.8|5.0
Starsììì
My Italian Secret
needs to be told. While history repeatedly condemns the Catholic Church for silence
during Jewish population deportation to Germany during World War II, this
documentary refreshingly shows that there were individual Catholic communities,
convents, and nunneries who served human duty by attempting to protect Jewish
individuals during this traumatic time. The documentary also details the efforts
of professional bicyclist Gino Bartali to transfer forged identification papers
to help Jewish individuals escape death concentration camps as well as the
efforts of Dr. Giovanni Borromeo to hide Jewish individuals in a special
hospital ward. This film is not as well organized as some documentary films and
seems to lack strength in presentation. The script needs a rewrite for deeper
emotional impact so that the audience feels the pain and trauma of that period.
Musical scores could have been used to higher advantage in the film to create
deeper impact. Kudos to Director Oren Jacoby for adding several more accounts
of persons who acted rightly during a time when the choices between
preservation of one’s own family and that of another became morally challenging.
Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia
Storyline
This
historical documentary focuses on the efforts of some Catholic Churches,
persons in authority, and one professional athlete to preserve Jewish lives
during World War II by hiding them and/or providing forged identifications to
leave German-occupied Italy.
Additional Thanks
Thank
you to Director Oren Jacoby for his efforts in directing. Thank you to Narrators
Isabella Rossellini and Robert Loggia. Thank you to appearances by: Giorgio
Goldenberg, Charlotte Hauptman, and Andrea Bartali.
Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?
Maybe.
The documentary lacks cohesion and organization. But, it is worthy historical
information that needs review.
Video Critique available Here:
Ben Meyers
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