OF PURE BLOOD
US, 1986, 100 minutes, Colour.
Lee Remick, Patrick Mc Goohan, Gottfried John.
Directed by Joseph Sargent.
Of Pure Blood is a telemovie about neo-Nazis. It stars Lee Remick as a woman who discovers that she was part of a special project for producing pure Aryan children. The plot involves the death of her son, his contact with neo-Nazis who were involved in the experiment. Patrick Mc Goohan appears as a rather sinister German professor.
The film seems both realistic and farfetched - perhaps the melodramatic style of the plot. It was directed by Joseph Sargent, veteran of many telemovies and films, who directed Lee Remick in Hustling.
1. Interesting and enjoyable telemovie? Realism? Thriller style?
2. American locations, German locations? Germany in the '80s? Memories of the '40s? Musical score?
3. The title, Nazism, the baby farm and its effects, later, neo-Nazism?
4. The opening with Mark, his confrontation of Dr Bamberg, the shooting, his daughter?
5. Lee Remick as Alicia, her work, the news of her son's death, grief, information about the baby, going to Germany, contact with Felix and getting information, trying to understand, Ursula's friends, meeting Ursula, the baby? Continuing the investigations? The discussion with her mother?
6. Her dreams on the plane, memories of the house? Not talking German but German phrases with the child on the swing, the train ride, the British neo-Nazis and their attacks on the Jews, Paul and his stopping the neo-Nazis? The town, going to the bank, the bank account, her birthday? The house, the children? Meeting Paul, his story? The memories? Her realisation that she was a special child?
7. Her talks with Felix, her plans, his identity, her accusing him of madness? The traces of the Aryan children?
8. Her mother, the truth, the reasons?
9. The pursuit of the baby, Dr Bamberg, Ursula's death? Paul and his staff? The confrontation, Felix's arrival, letting her go?
10. The end and its effect? Plausibility of the plot? The traces of the Nazi heritage? In later decades?
