8. Munich - The Edge Of War; movie review

 

 

MUNICH - THE EDGE OF WAR

Cert 12A

130 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, racism, brief moderate violence

"Es läuft mir eiskalt den Rücken hinunter."

That's the first time in nearly 5,500 reviews I have begun with a German phrase which I remember being taught on a visit to Munich.

I was crept out by the nature of the old buildings in the Bavarian capital 

Thus, a mate told me of the translation for "It sends shivers down my spine."

This was in 1983, long after the demise of Hitler and the Nazi party. I had lived in Germany for six months by then and had never had that feeling before.

But Munich was very different to any other city I had visited. Many of the pre-war buildings remained or had been rebuilt brick by brick. Somehow it was easy to imagine bad things going on here.

This was where Hitler tried to begin a revolution in 1923 and was where his support was most fanatical.

It was apt, therefore, that he should choose to sign the infamous 'peace in our time' document with Neville Chamberlain there.

Author Robert Harris added a few 'what if' scenarios to their meeting and they are the backbone of Christian Schwochow's Munich - The Edge Of War.

It stars George MacKay as the private secretary to the Prime Minister (Jeremy Irons) as war is threatened by Nazi mobilisation towards the Czech Sudeten Lands.

Mackay's character, Hugh Legat represses his emotions as he tries to juggle keeping his demanding wife (Jessica Brown Findlay ) happy and his ever-increasing commitment to his under-pressure boss.

Meanwhile, his former Oxford student pal (Jannis Niewöhner) is working in the office of Adolf Hitler (Ulrich Matthes) but is secretly desperate to unseat him.

Thus, as war seems inevitable, the two friends find their paths cross as they face the responsibility of trying to help avoid a catastrophe.

Once again, MacKay, the hero of 1917, is seen running as fast as he can in a period drama and he gives his usual very assured performance.

But he is put in the shadows by Irons, who brings all of his vast experience to bear as Chamberlain.

Meanwhile, Schwochow creates tension even though everyone with an inkling of history knows how this story, with the except of the fate of the fictional characters, pans out.

Reasons to watch: Tense pre-war thriller

Reasons to avoid: An imagining of history

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know?  In Churchill’s coalition government Chamberlain served loyally as lord president of the council until September 30, 1940, when ill health forced him to resign that office and the Conservative Party leadership. He died a few weeks later.

The final word. George Mackay: "We were filming during the Biden v Trump election and it felt all too resonant. There was a sense of uncertainty about what could happen if Trump got a second term. Looking at the populist politics of the 1930s, you could understand where that new nationalistic fervour can come from." The Guardian

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