John Rabe (2009)
Genre: War / Biography
Duration: 134 minuten
Country:
France / China / Germany
Directed by: Florian Gallenberger
Stars: Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Brühl and Steve Buscemi
IMDb score:
7,2 (6.988)
Releasedate: 2 April 2009
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
John Rabe plot
"History Needs Extraordinary Heroes"
True story about the German businessman John Rabe who finds himself in 1937 in Nanking, China. The city is attacked and taken over by the Japanese army. However, Rabe and some other foreigners manage to set up a protected zone for civilians, so that more than 250,000 people avoid death.
Actors and actresses
John Rabe
Dora Rabe
Dr. Robert Wilson
Dr. Rosen
Langshu
Prince Asaka Yasuhiko
Valérie Duprès
Dr. Oskar Trautmann
Werner Fließ
Nakajima Kesago
Reviews & comments
Filmkriebel
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- 10133 messages
- 4740 votes
Interesting movie. John Rabe, a forgotten hero who saved thousands of people during the hell of Nanking, one of the forgotten holocausts. The film shows how he uses his influence to save what can be saved. The political alliance between Japan and Germany especially helped, but so did personal courage and some help from a German-hating doctor (an unusual role for Steve Buscemi). I also thought that the positive and somewhat naive idea that Rabe had of Hitler was appropriate. Yet the focus of the film is rather on tragedy and emo. Certainly at the end, when the Chinese cheer him euphorically , it would have been better left out.
Translated from Dutch · View original
BBarbie
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- 12893 messages
- 7675 votes
Impressive film about the few weeks that John Rabe led the creation of an international security zone for civilians during the horrific Nanking massacre (300,000 victims!). Film pays a lot of attention to the mutual relations of the members of the committee and their contacts with the Japanese occupiers. On the other hand, the lives of citizens in the security zone are hardly discussed.
Nevertheless, an at times gripping film with a number of inserted authentic shots and numerous shocking images of Japanese atrocities. Film, however, remains a long way from Spielberg's account of Rabe's European counterpart Oskar Schindler.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Fisico
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- 10039 messages
- 5398 votes
During the Second World War we were mainly concerned with our own problems that we sometimes forget that serious crimes against humanity were committed in China by the Japanese. The Nanking massacre seemed vaguely familiar to me. The name John Rabe, on the other hand, was totally unknown to me.
Interesting insight into this piece of history and the difficult division in which John Rabe found himself. As director of the large German factory Siemens in China, he had quite a bit of prestige, but he was also greatly appreciated by his workers for his humane empathetic approach. At the same time, he was a member of the Nazi party and took a liking to Hitler (although this faded very quickly when the plea for help was not answered). The fact that Japanese as a German ally had to compete against a stubborn louse in the fur was a serious thorn in the side.
Always nice to hear people speak in their own language. The rest of the film also exudes solidity. The story is entertaining and the focus on heroism or status is not glorified. Gripping film, although I would have emphasized the suffering of the population more emphatically.
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