TWENTY ONE HOURS AT MUNICH

US, 1976, 101 minutes, Colour.
William Holden, Shirley Knight, Franco Nero, Anthony Quayle, Richard Basehart.
Directed by William A. Graham.

Twenty One Hours At Munich is a telemovie based on the incidents of terrorism at the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. The style of the screenplay is accurate reconstruction of scenes. characters, and a use of time and places for building up suspense as well as exploring the issues. The film touches on the political issues but does not explore them, perhaps necessary for a television audience's wide response to such a film.

However, the film has an emotional impact and elicits much sympathy for the plight of the Jews, although it implies some criticism of the Israelis, especially in the jingoistic General who wants instant action. However, the complexities of his attitude are highlighted because of the ultimate deaths of the athletes and their managers and trainers. The film portrays Willy Brandt (Richard Basehart) and the decisions of the German politicians in handling the situation. The film is critical of Egypt in its washing its hands of the situation. Mrs. Golda Meir is presented as very strong?minded in not bowing to terrorist tactics.

While the film shows the infiltration and siege, it focuses generally on the attempts of the German police to save the Israelis. William Holden looks grim as the head of the Munich police. Shirley Knight has a much more sympathetic part as one of the Olympic security officers who is the go?between. Franco Nero is intense as the main terrorist. The film is quite gripping in its way ? especially when one considers that it is a reconstruction for the home audience rather than for a cinema theatre audience. Direction is by William A. Graham who has directed a wide number of telemovies. The film and its techniques might be compared with the various films made on the 1976 Entebbe rescue.

1. The audience response to the terrorism at the Olympic Games of 1972? Audience with memories of the event, those who do not remember it? The blend of fact and fiction with the emphasis on fact? How appropriate is the use of such terrible events for the basis of a telemovie? Is this exploitive? Was the film satisfactory in its presentation of the situations, characters, human and moral issues, political issues? The overall impact concerning Israel, Arab terrorists, international terrorism?

2. The impact of the film as a telemovie - its documentary overtones, its entertainment value as a feature film, audience response to the action and the drama, to the characters, to the issues? The impact of the overall message especially in the ending and the deaths of those hostages?

3. The effectiveness of the structure: the emphasis on names and dates, times? The time in the title? How did this build up audience involvement, tension, dramatic suspense? Audience hopes that the hostages would be saved? The audience acknowledgement of violent treatment of the terrorists? The emotional impact of the final deaths?

4. The background of the Olympic Games and their international prestige, Avery Brundage and his comments, the use of footage from the games throughout the film? The choice of the Olympic Gaffes by the terrorists for their demonstration? International terrorism compared with international sport and goodwill? The film's emphasis at the end of the Olympic spirit carrying on despite terrorism?

5. Audience political and humane sympathies, towards Israel and its place in the world, its attitude towards the Palestinians, towards the Arabs? The rights and wrongs of Palestinian terrorists? Their cause, their tactics? The issue of political prisoners, hostages, force tactics? Judgments on terrorist and international blackmail? The background of Germany and the concentration camps and the Jews? The German attitude towards Israel, towards the terrorists? The final comments about the escape of the terrorists and their being welcomed in Libya? The presentation of Munich, the Games? The background of the hostages, the background of the terrorists? The fact of the deaths?

6. The film's comment on responsibility for the deaths? how much to Israel, to Mrs. Meir'P Willy Brandt and the German authorities? Egypt? Libya? The German police and the Munich authorities? The Olympic Games security officers?

7. The picture of the police, their methods, security? Tactics, decisions? The rights of the hostages, the rights of the terrorists, the play of deception? The playing for time?

8. How well did the film sketch in the basic situation: the Games themselves, the initial attack and infiltration. the violence towards the Israeli athletes, the suddenness, the state of siege, the deaths, the bashings? The holding situation over the 21 hours?

9. The portrait of the Israelis - sympathetic, the big athletes and their attitudes, the window dresser and his death, fear, morale, the singing of songs, the religious background? The visit of the German police to see the hostages? Their transfer to the helicopter and the plane? The portrait of the athletes sitting in the helicopters and their deaths? The sequence going through the photos and identifying those dead?

10. Did the film elicit any sympathy for the terrorists? The general presence of the terrorists and not sketching their personalities? The drawing of the personality of Issa: his background from Nazareth, the story of his mother and father, his brother in prison, his explanation of the cause? His discussions with the woman security officer? His attitude towards violence? His checking the situation, his tensions? The sequence checking the underground passage to the helicopters? The violence erupting at the airport, his death? His role as leader?

11. Schreiber and his role in Munich, his control of the situation, action? William Holden's portrayal? Audience identification with him? Feeling the situation through him? Did he do his best? The rightness of his decisions? His interaction with Issa, his reliance on the woman security officer? Her role in the situation, her ability to make contact with the terrorists, trying to get the human side, the shared cigarettes, conversation etc.? Her emotional feelings at the end?

12. The picture of German government, meetings, Brandt and his decisions, the police and their stalling techniques, the playing for time? The crack shooters and their covering the situation at all times?

13. The portrait of Golda Meir and the strength of her resolution? The Israeli General and his comments on the strategy, the errors of his judgments in wanting attacks, his attitude towards the death of the hostages?

14. The presentation of Egypt and its refusal to negotiate with Brandt?

15. The portrait of tactics, strategies, deceptions? Rendered futile by the violence at the airport?

16. The film's final comments about international terrorism and audiences being left with these thoughts? How lasting an effect on the popular audience of this kind of message entertainment about contemporary violence?