MURER – ANATOMY OF A TRIAL/ ANATOMIE EINES PROZESSES

Austria, 2018, 137 minutes, Colour.
Karl Fischer, Alexander E.Fenton, Melita Jurisic, Karl Markovics, Roland Jaeger.
Directed by Christian Frosch.

This film is based on a true story. It takes place in Vienna, 1963, in the aftermath of the trials of Adolf Eichmann. The focus of this trial is on Franz Murer, “the Butcher of Vilnius�. Much of the screenplay is based on the actual texts of the trial. Most of the action takes place in the court.

Karl Fischer portrays Franz Murer, seen at the opening of the film with his wife, about to go to court. For those who know the case and its outcome, the material will be familiar and lead to feelings of outrage. For those not familiar with the case, it is intriguing, and also eliciting deep feelings of outrage at the end.

Audiences will take a dislike to the defence lawyer, using all kinds of tactics, insinuations, quibbling with words, with memories, with colours of uniform to upset the witnesses. The prosecutor does not seem to be a strong as he might be. There are quite a number of witnesses, Jews from Lithuania, recounting terrible stories of their experience. Simon Wiesenthal is present in the background, organising the witnesses.

For those who don’t know the story, it is one full of suspense, full of emotions in listening to the witnesses, in their being hounded by the defence lawyer, in Murer’s complacency, his denials, and so many of those in the court, politicians, even the judge having had Nazi connections. His wife vigorously defends him as does his sister.

There is some satisfaction in the defence lawyer and his subsequent denunciation of the wife and sister. There can only be shock in the judgement and the consequences.

1. The title? The case? The process?

2. The impact of the film depending on whether the audience knows the result or not? Suspense or not? Dismay if the ending is known?

3. A film of 2018, reflecting Nazi atrocities in Lithuania in 1941-3, a trial in 1963? Austria, public opinion, the remnant of the fascists and the Nazis, political influence?

4. The screenplay based on transcripts, the conducting of the court scenes, the judges, interrogations, the witness statements? The screenplay going beyond the court scenes, yet the interiors, the streets, the facade of the court? The finale with its sunny happy ending at the farm?

5. The introduction to Murer, his wife and their kissing, the defence lawyer, the issue of the coat, the impression for the jury, coaching the defendant, preparing his wife, the children present and impressing the jury?

6. German occupation of Lithuania, of Vilnius, the history, the Jerusalem of the North, the German officials, the killings, the massacres, the treatment? The defence using the uprisings in Vilnius and Jewish gangs as reasons for official behaviour?

7. The defence lawyer, his appearance, manner, his treatment of the witnesses, issues of mistaken identity, pressing on the colour of the uniform, the effectiveness of his interrogations, his final impassioned speech to the jury? The final sequence with the prosecutor, discovering that the government had influenced the case rather than his defence of Murer?

8. Prosecutor, his tensions, the presence of his wife, his not wanting her to go there? His cross examinations, the touches of hesitancy? His ideology? Impact of the witnesses, his speech from his chair? The revelation of the official threats? And his wife giving him the Nazi notices?

9. The judges, the background of their political affiliations, issues of bias? The conduct of the case?

10. The presentation of the jury, eight, the two women, the woman in church, praying, the other pro Murer? The group who were pro-Nazi, the pressure on the others? The fat man and the quiet man, at meals, their talk? The juror feeling his guilt about his killings with the youth forces? In church, talking to the woman? The sacristan from the jury overhearing him, spying? With his mother? The pressure at home by the visitors? The meeting, excusing himself, the substitute going in? The vote? The later sympathy of the old woman on the street?

11. The people in the courtroom, nationalist, in favour of Murer, laughter, applause, anti-Somatic?

12. The range of Jews, their witness, the harshness of their experience, the telling of their stories, upset, being confused by the defence lawyer, the range of men and women, their sufferings? The young man and the witness to the death of his father? Leon, the disappearance of his wife, seeing the death of his son? The value of their testimony? Condemnations of Murer?

13. Leon, having the gun, wanting to shoot Murer?

14. The journalist, American, her presence, writing, listening, the discussion with the local journalist, his discussions with the editor?

15. Simon Wiesenthal and his Nazi-hunting, getting the witnesses, not wanting to be named, his coaching of Leon? His appeal? His reputation in Austria in 1963? Later reputation? The scene of Ibsen listening to the radio for the verdict?

16. The cinema audience and believing the witnesses? Reaction to the verdict? The role of the prosecutor in eliminating some of the charges?

17. The impact of the final speeches, the two lawyers talking?

18. The revelations about Murer, what he had done, sadistic, cruel, shootings, his white coach, his uniform, the information about his affair? His wife defending him in the court, the gift to the defence lawyer from herself and Murer’s sister, the son and the cake? The defence lawyer indicating that he just did his job and knew that Murer was guilty? The wife questioning her husband about the affair?

19. The final information, Murer and his life, the staunch Catholic background, politics, his long life after the trial dying comfortably at home with his family?