Genghis Cohn (1993)

 
Genghis Cohn (1993)

1h 19min | Comedy, Drama 
Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Writers: Romain Gary (novel), Stanley Price
Stars: Antony Sher, Robert Lindsay, Diana Rigg, Matthew Marsh

Based on Romain Gary’s brilliant novel “The Dance of Genghis Cohn,” the film opens  with a montage of anti-Nazi stage shtick by Jewish ventriloquist Cohn (Antony Sher) with his Adolf Hitler dummy, in 1930s Europe. Cohn finally ends up in a nazi mass grave.

This is not your typical Holocaust film. The plot, which is highly unusual, focuses on the ex-Nazi police comissioner Schatz (Robert Lindsay) in 1958, who's still carrying a secret torch for the late, lamented Fuhrer. The policeman is trying to solve a series of sex crimes occuring in his town, while being haunted by the ghost of the Jewish comedian he killed during the war. Those around him think he's going mad, as Schatz gradually develops a taste for chopped liver and gefilte fish, and starts using yiddish idioms.

Undeniably funny, heart-wrenching and thought provoking, this movie deserves to be shaken out of the dusty corners of obscurity and proudly shelved next to Shindler's List, Sophie's Choice and Life is Beautiful. 

Playing is solid by the experienced cast, with Lindsay fine as the koshered ex-Nazi, Sher throwing himself into the tragicomic farceur Cohn, and Diana Rigg having a ball as a horny haute bourgeoise. Carl Davis’ bouncy fairground score livens up Ken Pearce’s routine 16mm lensing, and German locationing is used to generally good effect.

[This info is a compilation of reviews and descriptions from the net.]
Alas, no subtitles available. I'd pay dearly to find one