| PRODUCT DETAILS | | Taking Sides |  | |
Taking Sides
From the Academy Award" winning writer of The Pianist comes the provocative story, based on true events, of Wilhelm Furtwängler, arguably the most distinguished conductor of his generation. After Hitler took over power in 1933, many Jewish artists were forced to leave Germany. Wilhelm Furtwängler (Stellan Skarsgård) chose to stay, serving as one of the Nazi`s foremost cultural assets. Though never a member of the Party, Furtwängler was the recipient of government honors and appointments, associated with party members. However, the conductor often used his position and contacts to save hundreds of Jewish musicians from the concentration camps. When Major Steve Arnold (Harvey Keitel) is given the task of carrying out pre-trial investigations against Furtwängler, his aim is to prove that the conductor’s artistic genius contributed to the Nazi propaganda machine and their destructive ideology. Conversely, Furtwängler insists he chose to stay to bring comfort to the German people with his music. Like a master conductor, director István Szabó orchestrates the debate from cat-and-mouse intensity. Taking Sides is that rare film that demands the audience to take a position on an issue: in this case, the complicity or innocence of Wilhelm Furtwängler.
Manufacturer: New Yorker Video
Price Range: $13.36 - $29.95
 Taking Sides
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| User Reviews |  | A fascinating look at musical denazification
rating: 5
I am a conflicted fan of Wilhelm Furtwangler. He really was one of the greatest conductors in the last century -- I highly recommend everyone listen to his music. At the same time, he served the Nazi regime as head of what amounted to the national orchestra.
Harvey Keitel plays Major Steve Arnold, who is assigned to prosecute the denazification case of Furtwangler, and to "make an example" of him. The Keitel character has come under strong criticism in other reviews here for his aggressive, some might say abusive stance in questioning Furtwangler, but I disagree. I think most of the things Arnold says to and about Furtwangler need to be said. It is not right to gloss over them, and they are not things that can be said over a cup of tea -- a certain amount of confrontation is called for.
I agree that the Keitel character is overly aggressive at times, and yes, he is curmudgeonly and essentially one-dimensional. But on the whole, I would say my only real objection to his interrogation of Furtwangler as portrayed in the film is that Furtwangler was not allowed to have counsel present. Other than that, the issues he raises are pretty much fair game. His job was to prosecute, and basically he did what prosecutors do.
I would be very interested to see a film about what REALLY happened in Furtwangler's denazification proceedings. This is fiction, and that must be kept in mind. But also keep in mind that the denazification process in West Germany was a great success, mainly because the US took it very seriously. Germany benefited from the process, which surely seemed excessive at the time but has now resulted in a society that has accepted multiculturalism and diversity much better than most others in Europe. Sure, the situation is not perfect, but it's quite a bit worse elsewhere. This derives in part from the US's insistence in the late 1940s that ordinary citizens take a hard look at what was done.
Sure, the US didn't get it all right, there were mistakes and overzealousness, especially in areas like primary education. But overall, denazification was a wild success in West Germany.
It was was less of a priority in other places. This is true of Austria, other Axis countries now behind the Iron Curtain, notably East Germany and Hungary. The failure to look the past squarely in the eye 60 years ago still shows up in nasty ways in these societies today. Western Germany got it right -- and that in significant part because there were people asking the kind of questions that the obnoxious Harvey Keitel character asked, rather than taking the "let sleeping dogs lie" approach used elsewhere.
In this sense, "Taking Sides" offers a thoughtful look at two separate topics. First is the denazification era and the kind of issues that were dealt with -- it is a very instructive, if simplified and specialized, look at the mood and mindset of the time.
The second topic is the heavy musical angle and an examination of Furtwangler specifically, which I think is a must for anyone who wants to enjoy his music. Furtwangler doesn't need to be condemned, and I do not wish to condemn him. But listening to his music, especially his wartime recordings, without considering their moral context seems a dicey proposition. Leading the Berlin Philharmonic was not a morally or politically neutral job in those times, especially given the propaganda role "great German music" played in the Nazi regime.
This movie does not give answers, but it raises the right questions for fans of Furtwangler -- and for that matter, Karajan, who had a much easier time, perhaps unjustifiably so, because his denazification proceedings took place in Austria and because he was not yet nearly as big a fish as Furtwangler.
For anyone interested in this film I also highly recommend the documentary "The Reichsorchester", also about the Berlin Philharmonic during the Nazi era. Chilling stuff, further illustrating the kind of political naivete BPO musicians -- and likely Furtwangler himself -- had about their role at the time.
And please don't get me wrong -- I love Furtwangler's work and actually sympathize with the man. I just believe the complexity has to be recognized, not glossed over.
I'm very glad Furtwangler was exonerated, but to suggest he should not have been subject to more than perfunctory scrutiny because of his outstanding talent is absurd.
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No Easy Answers
rating: 5
I found this film about the pre-trial interrogation of Wilhelm Furtwaengler, conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic during the Third Reich, both disturbing and compelling. My discomfort arose from the one-sided nature of the interrogation, since Major Arnold (Harvey Keitel) has been given the mandate of securing a conviction against Furtwaengler by any means including humiliation. The Major is both a zealot and a bully who makes no effort to see the dilemma of the great maestro--whom he dismisses as a "bandleader,"--who has chosen to remain in Germany and has been forced to walk a "tightrope" in order to co-exist with and survive an intolerable regime. The Major, a philistine who has no understanding of the conflict between art and politics, furthermore, does not even speak the same language, figuratively speaking, as the shattered Furtwaengler. His interrogation methods, in fact, are recognized by Emmi, his jobbed-in German Secretary, as being reminiscent of those of the Gestapo.
The acting is superb, especially on the part of Stellan Skarsgard, whose nuanced portrayal of Furtwaengler is tremendously moving. Although Keitel's performance begins on such a high note that it has no place to go, it is nevertheless appropriate given the circumstances of his task of getting a conviction at any cost. Under director Istvan Szabo's guidance, however, the temptation to "take sides" with Furtwaengler, because of the Major's bullying, is subtly subverted by questions of conscience and motivation on the part of the maestro.
The recreation of post-war Berlin is superb. Two outstanding scenes take place at concerts: the first, of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, at a baroque church in the last days of the war, as allied bombers drop their payloads on Berlin; and the second, of the adagio of the Schubert string quintet, at the ruins of the same church, which has been bombed out. In the middle of the performance of the latter, the rain pours in and the black umbrellas go up, and no one thinks of leaving. The choice of music is emblematic: Beethoven with it's beat ( . . . -) [ V for Victory, for those too young to remember] accompanies the defeat of the Third Reich, while the sublime Schubert adagio offers consolation to the Berliners who are left to live with the consequences of that demented regime.
One of the aspects of this film that I liked the best is that it asks difficult questions of the viewer, but provides no answers--perhaps because there are none.
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Disappointing film fails to inform or entertain
rating: 2
I generally concur with Mr. Ritter's review of the film. He provides a balanced and accurate over-view of the movie and its numerous deficiencies. He is especially accurate in stating that the film is about the the American "investigator", who determines at the outset that only a conviction will meet the Yankee stadards of justice. One has to wonder how closely this film tracks actual events. If your interest is learning anything about Mr. Fultwanger, don't bother to watch the film. You won't acquire any knowledge of one of the 20th Century's finest conductors or his art from this film. The film is unbelievable in portraying a genius as someone unable to effectively defend himself. Fultwanger is portrayed as a man of average intellect. The Germans in the film who respect the great conductor are portrayed as naive children. Mr. Ritter is overly charitable in awarding this film two stars. It is a solid one star effort. I watched it one time and took it directly to the used DVD store near my house.
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Taking sides
rating: 5
This movie was another excellent account of the happenings concerning famous conductors during the Reich and whether or not they were guilty of using an evil regime for their personal fame and glory.
Also the question arises yet again whether or not Art and Politics can/ should be separated. Like sports and politics...The obvious answer is that they cannot and we are left to judge mr. Furtwangler with our own convictions, background, musical knowledge and historical facts.
Well acted. Sober, convincing and mind provoking.
Anyone interested in this period in history and the arts should see it and form his or her own opinion.
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Whose side are you on?
rating: 4
I just rented this after a recommendation from a fellow Amazonian. The film was quite good, although it could hardly be described as exciting, and I thought the overall production quality left much to be desired. Nevertheless, the film was intellectually and emotionally provacative, as it highlights the moral outrage by the occupying Americans in Berlin at any and everything Nazi related. Specifically, it follows one Major Arnold (Keitel) in his determined effort to indict the famous German conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler (Skarsgård) for aiding and abetting the Nazi party. The much beloved and renowned Furtwangler is adamant in his innocence, although he is clearly racked with guilt for his association with the Third Reich. For his part, he claims that he was solely a musician, and he always strove to keep art and politics separate. He had no love for the Nazi party, but felt compelled to stay in his country rather than run away. The film seems to ask, where is the fine line between criminal accessory and dedication to your profession and/or country? Great performances by Keitel and Skarsgård.
One of the most interesting aspects for me was the conflict between Arnold and his assistant David Wills, the latter being an American Jew of German descent. Wills is far more sympathetic to Furtwangler and consistently tries to defend him against the ruthless Major. I don't really think the film itself "took sides" but tried to show the issue from both perspectives. I myself went back and forth and think that both men were "right" in their own way. It also goes without saying that we all have our personal biases which could sway us to one side or the other.
As for being revisionist, I cannot say. It did seem that Major Arnold was a bit over the top at times, but I also don't see this necessarily being far-fetched. I can only imagine how the first hand experience of seeing the concentration camps would effect someone pyschologically. But is moral outrage an excuse for your own ruthlessness? This film seems to address this issue. All in all, a solid, intellectually and emotionally challenging film that I don't hesitate to recommend.
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Taking Sides
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