Outside the cramped Amsterdam attic where the Frank and Van Pels families hid during the dark years of the German occupation of Holland, Wally van Hall and his more reluctant brother, Gijs, freely but cautiously walked the streets of the city as they successfully financed the Dutch resistance during World War II. This is a compelling story, based on a true story, about risking all that is important in order to oppose tyranny and totalitarianism. It is well acted, especially by leads Barry Atsma and Jacob Derwig, and ably directed by Joram Lursen.
Viewers should be prepared for very disturbing scenes of mass summary executions. As I watched, I thought of the millions of such horrific acts that actually occurred from one end of Europe to the other during this period. As painful as these incidents are to view, they were real, and we will never truly understand the worst of human history unless we witness it as it actually was.
Although some reviewers had trouble with the intricacies of the financial transactions, as I did, the actual details were even more complicated than those portrayed in the film. My only criticism is that the unappealing title might turn away many viewers who need to see this film and who would appreciate it far more than its initial impression suggests.
As was the case with those brave Dutch citizens who helped the Frank and Van Pels families in hiding, individuals who dared to oppose actively the military might and brutality of the Nazi regime were extraordinary people, especially when they could have easily turned away to pursue safe and comfortable lives in compliance with the evil status quo. What still amazes me is how the worst instances of human behavior can generate the finest acts of human conduct and heroism. May all of the heroes of World War II, including the van Hall brothers, never be forgotten.
Viewers should be prepared for very disturbing scenes of mass summary executions. As I watched, I thought of the millions of such horrific acts that actually occurred from one end of Europe to the other during this period. As painful as these incidents are to view, they were real, and we will never truly understand the worst of human history unless we witness it as it actually was.
Although some reviewers had trouble with the intricacies of the financial transactions, as I did, the actual details were even more complicated than those portrayed in the film. My only criticism is that the unappealing title might turn away many viewers who need to see this film and who would appreciate it far more than its initial impression suggests.
As was the case with those brave Dutch citizens who helped the Frank and Van Pels families in hiding, individuals who dared to oppose actively the military might and brutality of the Nazi regime were extraordinary people, especially when they could have easily turned away to pursue safe and comfortable lives in compliance with the evil status quo. What still amazes me is how the worst instances of human behavior can generate the finest acts of human conduct and heroism. May all of the heroes of World War II, including the van Hall brothers, never be forgotten.