Max (2002, R)

 

I picked this film as today’s entry in Capaldi Winter for two reasons:  fairly unique angle of well-trod material, and the words “starring John Cusack.”  Set in the German art community between world wars, Max is an ambitious film that I don’t think accomplishes what it sets out to do.

 

By now, I suppose just about everyone knows that Hitler once had artistic aspirations that didn’t pan out.  Given the setting and subject matter, you’ve probably realized that this movie is about just that, albeit a highly fictionalized account.  In the aftermath of World War I, Hitler is a rudderless corporal looking for greatness in a defeated country that seems all but lacking such things.  He begins a rocky friendship with German-Jewish art dealer Max Rothman (played by Cusack – Adolph Hitler isn’t one of those historical figures that Hollywood actors clamor to play,) who tells him that his art is proficient but lacking a strong voice.  Well, Hitler finds his voice, but as we all know, it’s far less uplifting than movies about struggling artists usually are.

 

PC plays David Cohn, Max’s well-to-do banking friend.  As you can guess from his name, he’s Jewish.  David keeps an eye on Max’s interests and doesn’t have much confidence that will young Hitler fellow will bring him any success..

 

Not a lot to say.  David is a small role, without much to distinguish him.  His most intriguing scene comes near the end, when Max enthusiastically describes Hitler’s “futurist” drawings coupled with kitschy performance art – in truth, blueprints for/speeches in support of the coming Nazi party.  Dramatic irony cranked up to eleven, people.

 

Max is a film that isn’t as interesting as its premise.  It has its successful points – the dichotomy between the wealthy Jewish art dealers and the impoverished German vets couldn’t be clearer, and the propaganda is effectively disturbing – but overall, it never quite comes together.

 

Accent Watch

 

I wondered about RP, but the vowels are just so Scottish that I went with that in the end.  Like Dangerous Liaisons, this is a strangely-accented movie.  American, English, and Scottish actors mainly use their own accents, but the strongest anti-Semites (Hitler included, of course) put on German accents.  I was reminded of Who’s “Let’s Kill Hitler”; the TARDIS translation circuit almost always defaults to British voices, but all the Nazis there had German accents.

 

Recommend?

 

In General – Not particularly.  Interesting but ultimately unsuccessful.

 

PC-wise – Not necessarily.  Not much to do, and he’s only in a handful of scenes.

 

Warnings

 

Some swearing, brief instances of violence, and some of the artwork includes nudity.  But the heavy hitter in this film is the propaganda – some very unsettling anti-Semitic views depicted.