Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood

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Audience Member For film nerds like me, this film didn't have any major insights or tell any stories I wasn't already familiar with regarding the exodus from Germany to Hollywood that happened as Hitler rose to power, including everyone from Hedy Lamarr and Peter Lorre to directors Fritz Lang and Billy Wilder. However, the documentary does feature some personal letters, interview and quite a bit of home movie footage of German stars and filmmakers that I hadn't seen before and that was enough to hold my interest and make the film worth watching. For people not familiar with this episode in Hollywood history, it would be a good introduction to the lasting influence that German filmmaking had on Hollywood and which Germans made it big and which ones failed, along with who stayed and who returned to Germany at the end of the war. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A fascinating subject, but this documentary is only a serviceable examination of it. It either should have been something like a mini-series, going in-depth on a number of facets it only briefly acknowledges, or more focused, centering on a few core people and documenting their lives more personally. The subject alone makes it of interest to those into film history, but as a film it leaves much to be desired. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member An interesting look at the German filmmakers who were forced to flea Nazi Germany and their often unheralded influence on Hollywood cinema. Needless to say, Film Noir, Casablanca, B Horror, and many other films/genres wouldn't have been the same (or possibly existed in America) had it not been for the terrible reign of Hitler. This documentary balances the positives with stories of the many German filmmakers who could not find success once they became refugees. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood

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