Comedian Harmonists

1997
7.2| 2h6m| en
Details

Comedian Harmonists tells the story of a famous, German male sextet, five vocals and piano, the "Comedian Harmonists", from the day they meet first in 1927 to the day in 1934, when they become banned by the upcoming Nazis, because three of them are Jewish.

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Reviews

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.
Joanna Mccarty Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.
Tyreece Hulme One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.
Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
gelman@attglobal.net Although they appear to have been remembered (vaguely) in Europe where they achieved genuine stardom, the Comedian Harmonists were essentially unknown in the United States before this excellent film. Their closest contemporary analogue may be the Kings Singers, a group which has actually recorded many of the Comedian Harmonists songs and, like the German group, sings in close harmony, blending their voices so that none stands out until it's required. The effectiveness of the film is immeasurably enhanced by the use of actual recordings, with the on-screen ensemble lip-syncing the words. The Comedian Harmonists came to the fore during the late twenties and were extinguished when the Nazis came to power because they sang many songs by Jewish composers and three of the six members were Jewish. Although certain liberties have been taken with the biographies of the individual singers, their story comes alive on the screen with faithful attention to period detail. The focus is more on two of the six musicians (and their girlfriend-in-common) than on the other four. Nevertheless, each of the six is realized as an individual. It's a splendid film, available on Netflix, and I found it sufficiently entertaining that I will search out their recordings. But, beyond being entertaining, it tells a moving story about the impact that the rise of Hitler had on the lives of individuals who were essentially apolitical beings with no agenda other than to entertain and to succeed.
succotash I had never heard of the group The Comedian Harmonists before seeing this film, but they were truly awesome musicians. This film seamlessly blends the actual recordings of the group with wonderful acting and directing to create a true classic. The R rating is a bit too strong, in my opinion, and should be closer to PG-13. The film features mature themes but would be suitable for viewing by most audience members aged 11 and above, with parental guidance of course. Anything of a mature nature in the film is strictly secondary to its real story and was not presented lewdly in any way. You will want to talk about the subject matter with the kids, ie: the effects of prejudice and how Hitler, seemingly on a quest to create perfection and beauty, by trying to play God (which none of us have the right to do), actually destroyed so many beautiful things which were meant to be here to enrich all life. I won't use any plot spoilers but I can tell you there were no dry eyes left in the room at the end. Truly worth seeing and the soundtrack is one of the best I've heard in a long time. Bravo!
Ed-90 The film moves along well, with very enjoyable music. The film does not sink into exploitation, and is surprisingly upbeat for its era (Germany 1930's). I recommend it. The only less-strong area is in the romantic triangle...hard to tell what he/they see in her and vice versa.
T-10 The film, Comedian Harmonists, give us a different and evolving look at the effects of the racist policies of national socialism. It showed, better than I've seen, the slow, subtle changes in behavior and attitudes of both the oppressor and the oppressed --- the denial, then realization, that this could and is happening. This evolution made even more believable because this a true story about six very talented people, three of which who are Jewish, who form a musical group in 1927 in Berlin. As national socialism cements its hold on Germany, external pressure is brought on the group for containing Jewish members resulting in internal pressures within the group. The interpersonal relationships made for a compelling story. Add to this a great love story, good acting, fantastic musical score, and interesting people you come to care for, and you have a great movie. Since the film "finishes" in 1934, I particularly enjoyed the follow up at the end telling what happened to each of them. For a fascinating look at anecdotal history, I highly recommend that you see this film. Three and a half stars!!!