INVINCIBLE

Germany/UK, 2001, 133 minutes, Colour.
Tim Roth, Jouko Ahola, Anna Gourari, Max Rabbe, Jacob Wein, Udo Kier, Herbert Golder.
Directed by Werner Herzog.

Invincible is an English-language feature film from Werner Herzog. Herzog is one of the most idiosyncratic as well as one of the most celebrated of German directors. He began directing in 1962 and made a number of exotic features, part documentary, part fiction. However, he became internationally famous with his story of the Conquistadors, Aguirre, the Wrath of God. This was followed by a number of films like The Enigma of Kasper Hauser and Stroszek. These were films which probed intelligence and mental retardation, society and its response to misfits. He then went on to make a version of the archetypal vampire film, Nosferatu. In the early 80s he made Fitzcaraldo, the story of transporting a boat over the mountains in the Andes. After that he continued to make quite a number of films including one in Australia, Where the Green Ants Dream.

Invincible is a strange project for Herzog. It is the story of a Polish strongman, Jewish, who travels to Berlin and is taken on by Hanussen and his Palace of the Occult. The strongman then becomes a symbol of the strength of the Jews in the confrontation with Nazism. Hanussen was also a central character in the film by Istvan Szabo, Hanussen, with Klaus Maria Brandauer.

The film recreates the period, 1932, with great attention to detail, the Polish village, the Stetel, Berlin, the clubs. Himmler and Goebbels are amongst the characters introduced into the screenplay.

The cast is quite international with British Tim Roth as Hanussen, giving a powerful performance. Jouko Ahola is Finnish and was the world’s strongest man in 1997-98. Anna Gourari is Russian.

The film was made in English, and some of the dialogue seems a little stilted at times, especially the strongman’s younger brother, the Child Sage who speaks beyond his years (part of the plot and the symbolism of the title).

An interesting contribution to films about the Third Reich and the period between World War One and World War Two.

1.The title, its reference to Zishe, to the Jewish people, Zisha as a symbol of the invincible?

2.The career of Werner Herzog, his feature films, his portrait of eccentrics, society? His use of non-professional casts? His documentary history?

3.Herzog, German, his looking back at German history, the period between the wars, the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, the persecution of the Jews, the spirit of anti-Semitism? Anti-Semitism? in village life in Poland?

4.The re-creation of the period, the detail, life in the village, the picturing of the countryside, the re-creation of Berlin, the Palast, the exteriors, the official buildings? The courts? The insertion of the dream sequences, the crabs, the rocks and the coast, the pervading red colour? The musical score, the use of classics?

5.The film in the English language, the quality of the screenplay, realistic, stilted – especially the speeches by Benjamin?

6.Hanussen and his story, the films made about him? In himself, in Berlin, his setting up the Palace of the Occult, his personal manner, his work as a mesmerist, the séance-like meetings, the prophecies, his prophecy about Hitler, his being pro-Nazi, wanting to establish a Ministry of the Occult and he being minister? The visits of Himmler and Goebbels? His running of the palace, his staff? His decision to employ Zishe, the significance of this choice, his making him into the German hero, Siegfried? The costume and the wig? His relationship with Marta, his use and abuse? The MC and the control of the programs? The clients? The uniformed military personnel? His use of Marta, sexually? Mesmerising her, the scene with the elephant? His behaviour on the boat, his behaviour towards Zishe, Zishe’s anger, threatening to throw him overboard? The count and his calming the situation? Going to the court, the attitude of the judge, Hanussen and his denunciation of Marta and Zishe? His explanation of his use of different identities, including Franz Lehar? The reality of his Czech origins, Jewish? His growing bitterness, his speech of denunciation? In the palace, Zishe’s apology to him, his accepting it, his taking his cape? The brutality of his death, Zishe being taken to the woods, the identification of the body, finding the cape? Hanussen as not invincible?

7.The character of Zishe, the strongman non-professional actor and his one-note performance, but sympathetic? With his brother, the bond between the two, listening to his brother’s wisdom and stories? His popularity in the town, with the family? His Jewish pride? The mystical brother, the folk tales?

8.The two brothers having the meal, the anti-Semitic mockery, the fight, the proprietor suggesting that he go into the contest, the strongmen, the circus, his winning? Being scouted by the entrepreneur?

9.Zishe in himself, a good man, his dreams, his travelling, helping people with the heavy cart? Arriving in Germany, the phone call? His symbolic nature, the good Jew, strength, overcoming difficulties?

10.The arrival, Hanussen, the meeting with Marta, having seen her in his dreams? The German Superman mythology, his look, the costume, his simplicity, backstage and Hanussen rebuking him? The reaction of the audience, his being fascinated by Hanussen’s behaviour, Hanussen and the answering of questions from the audience, the explanation of the clues and keys in the question? The frauds? His mother and brother arriving, his delight? Consciousness of his Jewishness? On stage, removing the wig, his confessing who he was? The reaction? His wanting to leave, Hanussen and the newspapers, the queues around the block? The challenge to lifting the record-breaking weight? Marta, getting her the piano, dressing her in the special dress, her recital and his delight, standing at the piano? His reaction to Hanussen on the boat, the count?

11.Marta, her Czech background, stateless, her being used by Hanussen, playing the piano, the attraction with Zishe, going out with him, the scene with the elephant, her playing at the concert, his defending her on the boat, her condemnation of Hanussen?

12.The trial, the speeches, the attitude of the judge?

13.The audience in the palace, the uniformed personnel, the patrons? The MC and his anti-Semitic jokes? The superiority of the German people? Keeping the peace? The riots in the palace?

14.The Jews in Berlin, the rabbi, his coming to talk with Zishe, inviting him to the synagogue, Zishe meeting all the people, in the place of honour?

15.The decision to leave Berlin, Zishe’s journey home, his brother and the family, the feet with the board and the nail, his injuring himself, going to the hospital, the operations? His death? The information about the operations? His final vision of the crabs and his brother helping him?

16.The film contributing another and different look at the inter-war period? The rise of Hitler and the Nazis? Anti-Semitism?