The Counterfeiters

Rated: R for some strong violence, brief sexuality/nudity and language.
Release Date: 2008-02-22
Starring: Stefan Ruzowitzky
Director(s):
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Film Genre:
Country:NULL
Official Website: http://www.sonyclassics.com/thecounterfeiters/

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The Counterfeiters is a great film which tells the true story of the Nazi attempts to forge bank notes during the Second World War.They grouped together from the camps anybody that had any printing, paper, forging, currency knowledge etc. They set about to create a mini-production line to forge the Pound (UK Currency) and the later the Dollar (USA Currency).

For the men involved their lives depended on their success. Due to the work involved they were treated well compared to others, but their lives were always in the balance.

The lead actor, Karl Markovics, who played Salomon Sorowitsch was amazing and stole the film to my mind. He played the character well, ruthless in one respect, compassionate in another. Although he was a criminal, a master forger, he lived by his own set of ethics. Which he stood fast to, regardless of the situation.

This film really questions your own beliefs, what would you do in this situation? If you help, then you help to fund the Nazi war machine. Let them put more people in camps, in the same position as you.

If you stick to your morals/ethics/beliefs whatever you like to call them. Then you face certain death. You are basically between a rock and a hard place regardless. So you can either give up all you belief in an effort to survive, or you can stick to your beliefs and die. What is more important?

A very good film indeed and to me Karl Markovics played a stunning role. He is certainly an actor I will look out for in the future.