MUNICH – THE EDGE OF WAR

UK, 2021, 130 minutes, Colour.

George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons, Alex Jennings, Liv Lisa Fries, Jessica Brown Findlay, Mark Lewis Jones, Sandra Huler, Nicholas Farrell, Robert Bathurst, Ulrich Mathies, August Diehl,

Directed by Christian Schowchow.

This morning’s news said that one in four Australians has little or no knowledge of the Holocaust. So, what percentage would know anything much about the lead into World War II, the role of the UK, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain going to Munich and the accusations of Appeasement?

Feature films on the 1930s continue to be released, a source of some information about this era. And, as the title suggests, this is one of those films. It is based on a novel by Robert Harris (always an exciting author with interesting film versions of his novels including Fatherland, Enigma, Ghost Writer). This reviewer had read Munich and found that the film version brought back solid memories of characters, atmosphere and the incidents in Munich in September 1938.

This is a British-German collaboration. While Neville Chamberlain appears as the central character and is significantly portrayed by Jeremy irons, the focus is on a young British civil servant and a young German who works in offices in Berlin. We see them initially, rather carefree at Oxford in 1932 – though the German, Paul (very effective performance from Jannis Niewohner) has been enthused by National socialism. Then, six years later, each of them very serious, the British man, Hugh Leggett (George MacKay who has emerged as a significant screen presence, Pride, True Story of the Kelly Gang, 1917), personal secretary to Chamberlain. Tensions at home, his being unable to reveal to his wife any details about his work. He is to go to Munich with Chamberlain.

On the other hand, Paul has become disillusioned with Hitler and National Socialism, is linked with an anti--Hitler military group, his associate, Mrs Winter (Sandra Huler from Toni Erdmann) has provided him with a top secret document outlining Hitler’s plan to go beyond annexing the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia, but his more supremacist ambitions for land grabbing.

So, the core of the film: how to get this German document to Chamberlain to stop him signing the peace agreement, to help him see the true ambitions of Hitler.

Which means that there is some cat and mouse drama during the Munich meeting, the two friends meeting, exchange of documents, concealing of documents, attempts to bring them to Chamberlain’s attention, even Paul getting Hugh to persuade Chamberlain to see him. And, behind-the-scenes, there is Paul’s friend from the past, France (August Diehl) now bodyguard suspicious of the two men.

So, while there is interesting action drama, some split timing, the screenplay also offers an opportunity for audiences to understand Hitler and his ambitions, the esteem of the German people, his shrewdness in dealing with Mussolini and Chamberlain. And, for further impact for the film, veteran German actor, Ulrich Mathies, plays Hitler, rather older and more gaunt than usual, proud of his ability to stare fixedly at people and to read their characters, as he does with Paul who has an opportunity with a hidden gun to kill the Fuhrer.

Well written, well acted, taking us back into some of the complexities of the prewar period, and, perhaps, a bit more sympathetic towards Chamberlain and his intentions.

1. Audience interest in the lead up World War II? The role of Neville Chamberlain? The Munich agreement? A dramatisation of Chamberlain and his stances, motivations – and a reassessment of his decisions and behaviour?
2. A dramatisation of Robert Harris’s novel, keeping close to the novel, action, characters?
3. The situation in Europe, September 1938, a year before the invasion of Poland? Preparations for war, shelters, gas masks? The politics of the situation? Attitudes towards Hitler? The issue of Czechoslovakia and Hitler’s annexation? His vision of expanding German territory, his motivations about the supremacy of the German people? The fascism of the time? Support from Mussolini? The threat to the French government? The role of the British government, possibilities for peace?
4. The prologue, 1932, Oxford, the three carefree friends, Hugh, very British, Paul, young, believing in the future for Germany, Hitler? His relationship with Lenya? Her beliefs?
5. The transition to 1938, London, war preparations, attitudes of the people, the politicians, diplomacy, Chamberlain and his relationship with Hitler? Chamberlain and his advisers, Wilson? Hugh as his personal secretary? You and his access to Chamberlain? But the strain on his family life, his relationship with his wife, the tensions, the sum with a gas mask and his being taken aback, unable to tell his wife details of his work?
6. Berlin, 1938, Paul and his change of attitudes, the group against Hitler, the military, the plans? The background story of linear, Jewish, arrested, the alleged attempted suicide, her being in an institution? Paul, serious, his access to the Third Reich authorities? The past friendship with Franz Sewer, sports in the past, France and his being an official bodyguard, keeping an eye on Paul? Paul and his relationship with Mrs winter, in the office, personal, her ideology? And giving him the document with Hitler’s plans for expansion?
7. The preparation for the meeting in Munich? Chamberlain suggesting Mussolini be present? The French authorities? The decision as to who should go? Hugh and his being on the list?
8. Paul, the document, the contact with the British, the suggestion that he meet with you and pass on the document? The channels for negotiation?
9. Hugh, the special mission, to collect the document? Wilson and others not knowing this? The flight to Munich, the reception?
10. The portrait of Hitler, older and thinner? At meetings, his authority, demands, the intensity of his gaze, his pride in reading people? His reading Paul, borrowing his watch, a certain admiration? And the tense moment when Paul thought it was exposed but Hitler was merely returning his watch? Hitler and his advisers, translators, Himmler and Goering? The plan for the Munich meeting, the cover, future repudiation? Hitler playing Chamberlain and the French?
11. In Munich, Hugh, left at the Embassy, going to the meeting, the assistance from the secretary in the office (and the later revelation of her relationship with France, anti-Nazi, rescuing the document, covering for Hugh)? At the meeting, the encounter with Paul, notes, leaving, the streets, the cafe, France and his observing? The discussions, Hugh to be persuaded of Paul’s change of heart? Taking the document, hiding it in his room, covered by the newspaper?
12. The meeting, Paul and his urgency, wanting the agreement to be stopped? Going out of the meeting, going to Chamberlain’s room, persuading Hugh to let him in, Chamberlain agreeing, listening, disbelief? Paul and his urgency, advise not to lecture, but lecturing Chamberlain? The end of the meeting?
13. Paul, Mrs winter, his having to be present for translations, the encounters with Hitler, the documents? His presence with Hitler, having the gun, the possibility of shooting Hitler, his hesitation, the moment passing? His self-recriminations?
14. Chamberlain, the signing of the document, weary, seeing Paul, the aftermath? The risk to Hugh and his career? Chamberlain, shrewdness, engineering the second meeting with Hitler, the record of it, newspaper reports? The return to England, his being acclaimed?
15. The diplomatic background, the various advisers, Chamberlain and his confidences, Wilson and his holdings Hugh back? The ambassador in Berlin and his role? The various authorities and their knowledge, need to know or not?
16. The night, Hugh going to meet with Paul, Paul and his desperation? France, the searching of Hughes room, the document missing, and the revelation that it had been saved by the secretarial assistant?
17. The return to London, a reconciliation with his wife, his decision to resign from public service, realising war was imminent, to join the RAF?
18. Robert Harris and his skill in weaving a fiction story in the context of his story?