Le Neuvième Jour
Devátý den
Directed by:
Volker SchlöndorffCinematography:
Tomas ErhartComposer:
Alfred SchnittkeCast:
Ulrich Matthes, August Diehl, Hilmar Thate, Bibiana Beglau, Ivan Jiřík, Adolf Filip, Zdeněk Pecháček, Karel Dobrý, Vladimír Fišer, Petr Janiš, Vladimír Gut (more)Plots(1)
Without explanation, Father Henri Kremer, a dissident Catholic priest interred at Dachau, is released from the living hell of the Dachau "Priest Block" and returned home to occupied Luxembourg. Reunited with his sister and brother, Kremer learns that his freedom is temporary. Gestapo Untersturmfuhrer Gebhardt, a lapsed seminarian, has arranged a nine day reprieve during which Kremer is expected to persuade the staunchly anti-Nazi Bishop of Luxembourg to capitulate to Nazi occupation and drive a wedge between Luxembourg and the Vatican. As Kreme resists, Gebhardt's threats turn increasingly pointed. Torn between duty, faith, the terror of returning to Dachau and fear for the safety of his sister's unborn child, in just nine days Father Henri Kremer must find a way to his ease his conscience, protect his family and save his soul without giving in to Gebhardt. But as the ninth day draws near, devout priest and zealous Nazi discover they have more in common than they realize. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (1)
I've seen quite a few films about Nazis and extermination camps, but this one is special. The sad story of Abbé Henry Kremer shows the atrocities of the Second World War from the perspective of the Church. Dealing with philosophical questions of faith, conscience, and betrayal, Ulrich Matthes was undoubtedly a good choice for the role of a man who does not succumb to pressure and keeps his composure even when he is realistically threatened with death. The character of the young Gestapo officer Gebhardt is certainly intriguing, with his non-black-and-white nature, portrayed excellently by August Diehl. I cannot forget about the Czech mark left on the film by Karel Dobrý. In the small space of the commander of the Dachau concentration camp, he was so strongly etched in my memory that at times I felt as if he had perhaps been born an SS man. The Ninth Day is not a pleasant film to watch, but it will make you think about how you would act in a given situation. (80%)
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