Alone in Berlin

Alone in Berlin” stars Emma Thompson and Brendan Gleeson as Anna and Otto Quangel.

During World War II, the Quangel’s son was killed while serving in the war. One day, Anna is seated at the kitchen table, reading the paper. She comments on the paper being a propaganda tool, full of lies, full of what today we would call “fake news.” Anna comments that someone should tell the truth about the Nazi party, so the country could know the truth.

With that, Otto begins a writing campaign. He uses small notecards and postcards to refute the propaganda in the papers. He leaves the notecards in public, in well trafficked areas. Their hope is that people find them and learn of the atrocities that are taking place.

Many times, when members of the public found the cards, they would turn them in to the SS. At this point in the movie, an officer who is introduced into the story who investigates the cards, to try and find who is writing them. Throughout the film, the Quangels write over 200 cards; the SS officer had the majority of cards.

The movie is based on a novel, “Every Man Dies Alone” by Hans Fallada. The novel is based on the true life story of Otto and Elise Hampel, who wrote the postcards to resist the Nazi regime.

While the story is not entertaining, it is a wonderful story of doing what is right in times of conflict and division. In days of “fake news”, the truth will always win.

To read more about Otto and Elise Hampel, please visit the following link:

https://film.avclub.com/the-only-thing-exciting-about-alone-in-berlin-is-the-fa-1798189977

Now streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Vudu, YouTube, iTunes, Google Play. 3 stars.