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      The Nightmare Years

      1989 3h 20m Drama Biography List
      Reviews This miniseries tells the incredible true story of foreign correspondent William L. Shirer (Sam Waterston), who was stationed in Germany during Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Shirer's efforts to report on repressive conditions in the country were often fraught with peril -- including battles with the Nazi minister of propaganda, Josef Goebbels (Kurtwood Smith). But as war became imminent, Shirer's attentions switched to a more personal mission: getting his family out of Germany. Read More Read Less

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      Audience Member A rather rubbishy film based on the excellent memoir of William Shirer. It gets basically everything wrong. Shirer is presented in the only way Hollywood seems to know how to present reporters in corrupt regimes: as stupid and impulsive do-gooders. The real Shirer was a good man, but his goal was never to take on the Nazi state and win. It's absurd to think anyone could. He was there to report what he could from the biggest news story of his time, and, if possible, to warn America and the world about the danger the Nazis posed. And that meant a lot of subtlety, deception, and caution with what he said. This guy's a dolt. And worse, he's outraged that the Nazis won't honor freedom of the press and even lectures Göbbels on the subject. What could be more absurd? His vision of the press's goal as revealing the whole truth about those in power with no compromises makes him feel much more like a transplanted relic of the post-Watergate era than a man who'd reported from dictatorships and kingdoms for most of his career. And even in the US it wasn't like that. Did you know the press was well aware of FDR's wheelchair and JFK's philandering but said nothing? The whole thing rings false. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      The Nightmare Years

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis This miniseries tells the incredible true story of foreign correspondent William L. Shirer (Sam Waterston), who was stationed in Germany during Adolf Hitler's rise to power. Shirer's efforts to report on repressive conditions in the country were often fraught with peril -- including battles with the Nazi minister of propaganda, Josef Goebbels (Kurtwood Smith). But as war became imminent, Shirer's attentions switched to a more personal mission: getting his family out of Germany.
      Director
      Anthony Page
      Production Co
      Consolidated Productions, Finnegan/Pinchuk Productions
      Genre
      Drama, Biography
      Original Language
      English
      Runtime
      3h 20m