The Search

There's that long-running cliche of Hollywood producing a film pertaining to the Holocaust. It's an even bigger cliche that such a film is instant awards bait. (Best proof: Schindler's List, Sophie's Choice, The Reader.) It's almost revolting that one man's suffering is another man's art.

Hell, Hollywood's been making such films ever since the rest of the world found out about the Holocaust. Granted, there weren't as many being made as there are now, but apparently studios and screenwriters found an easy way to make a quick buck. (Sorry if it sounds like I'm ranting. It's just something that's been bugging me as of late.)

One of the early films was Fred Zinnemann's The Search. It's not about the Holocaust itself but rather the aftermath of it as well as the war. And the film isn't tole from an adult's perspective; it's told from the point of view of a child survivor.

The star of The Search isn't Montgomery Clift (in his second film role, not his first as many believe). The star is in fact Ivan Jandl, the young child whose point of view the film is told in. He doesn't say much throughout the film and his expressions speak greater volumes. (Those big, sad eyes of his certainly help in that regard.) Perhaps one of the best child performances film has captured.

Despite what I previously stated, The Search is a great film. Along with the performances from Jandl and Clift, the cinematography by Emil Berna is just stunning. The completely barren ruins of Berlin he captures is something that must be seen. Then again, the whole film is something that must be seen.

My Rating: *****