Starring: Jason Clarke, Rosamund Pike, Jack O'Connell, Jack Reynor, Mia Wasikowska, Stephen Graham, Thomas M.Wright, Geoff Bell, Enzo Cilenti, Ian Redford
Distributor: Roadshow Films
Runtime: 120 mins. Reviewed in Jun 2018
| 
| 
At one point in this drama, SS chief, Heinrich Himmler, tells his underling, Reinhard Heydrich, that this is Hitler’s description of him, man with the iron heart. And this is certainly the portrayal of him here.
Heydrich is not the first name that comes up when we consider Hitler’s main supporters. Perhaps this is because he was assassinated, the only high Nazi official assassinated during the war. He was killed in Prague, 1942, but was a significant contributor to formulating the Final Solution.
This is really two films in one. The first half of the film focuses on Heydrich himself, indications that there would be an assassination attempt, in presenting him as a rather ruthless person, seen arrogant in the Navy, brutal fencing with an opponent, aggressive in casual sexual relationships, court-martialed and dismissed. The film then introduces us to Lina, who was to become Heydrich’s wife, her Nazi ideology and his joining the party, his marriage, several children, his policing and gaining information about suspects.
He is interviewed by Himmler and indicates quickly and sufficiently that he could be ruthless in the work of the SS. And this is seen graphically, firing squads, massacres in Poland, soldiers shooting civilians, the eradication of the Jews, the setting up of the concentration camps – and scenes where these atrocities are photographed and Heydrich watches them on film. In fact, he is so successful, that Hitler appoints him Protector of Bohemia and Moravia. Again, there are graphic scenes of his ruthlessness. He has some (perhaps) redeeming moments with music, violin playing with his son, but he becomes consumed with his work, the plans for the Final Solution, that he begins to treat his wife like other suspects.
Then, halfway through the film, it changes pace. We are introduced to the Czech young men training in Scotland for going back to their fatherland. The focus is on to their parachuting into Czechoslovakia, joining the local resistance, the intention (Operation Anthropoid) to assassinate Heydrich. The film gives a great deal of attention to the characters, their interactions, the planning and the execution – as well as its consequences, audiences may remember the reprisals and the elimination of the village of Llidice, the searches for the perpetrators and the siege in the church which destroyed them.
For those interested in World War II stories, a great deal of interest. For those less familiar with the events, the two-part film may be sometimes confusing. However, Heydrich was remembered in Hollywood soon after his death in the films, Hitler’s children, Hangmen also Die. During the 1970s the story is told again in Operation Daybreak. Strangely, at the time of the making of this film, another version, Anthropoid, was filmed and released. The latter part of this film coincides with the whole story of Anthropoid, the resistance, planning, assassination, consequences.
Jason Clarke gives a sometimes chilling performance as Heydrich, filmed just before his portrayal of Edward Kennedy in Chappaquidick. Rosamund Pike can also be chilling as his Aryan-Supremacy wife. Stephen Graham is quite frightening as Himmler. And young actors, Jack O’Connell and Jack Raynor portray the two designated to lead the assassination attempt.
The film offers no sympathetic perspective on Heydrich while being in admiration of the resistance.
Peter Malone MSC is an Associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting.
12 Random Films…
