Feb
4
The Harmonists review
February 4, 2010 | |
When all of life?s big events fall away it is the simple moments that take hold as our fondest reflections. Good storytelling exploits the virtue of simplicity. It can be remarkably easy to communicate the universal trials and treasures of love and the importance of fighting for beliefs and passions. The Harmonists shares the timeless story of pursuing a dream during an intolerant time.
This is the true story of the German singing group, The Comedian Harmonists. Ulrich Noethen plays Harry Frommerman, an unemployed musician in 1927 Berlin. He is inspired by the tight harmonies and complex arrangements of the American singing group The Revellers to duplicate their sound in the German music scene. He gathers some of the finest vocalists in Germany to form his group, The Comedian Harmonists ? named that becasue they are as comedic as they are talented musicians. Robert Biberti (played by Ben Becker) is among the first to join. He becomes Harry?s confidant as well as a rival for the affections of Harry?s girlfriend Erna (Henio Ferch). The Comedian Harmonists are widely celebrated in Germany then invited to perform in the United States. However, the group?s successful rise is affected by the political changes occurring in Germany. As three of the six members of the group are Jewish, their progress is hindered by the Nazi government?s racial intolerance.
Many films and other forms of art have devoted themselves to this shameful though fascinating period in human history. Nazism undoubtedly had devastating effects on many lives. However, the impact felt by the members of the Comedian Harmonists was subtler than that felt by many others. The Comedian Harmonists were six men who entertained and enriched lives with their infectious and pleasantly lyrical music. In fact, higher members of the Nazi government were admitted fans of their music. As the political and social climate became more saturated with racial intolerance, it began to suffocate the light-hearted melodies of the Harmonists. There were no violent self-righteous protests against the group, but a subtle social pressure to either remove the ?non-Aryan? members from the group or disband. As a viewer, one feels the awkwardness of the situation. It seems nobody cares to admit the real problem with the group. This irony most effectively questions the rationale of racism. Of course, this point would be lost if the film?s production values were weak. The actors are extremely competent and the sets display the necessary detail for an effective period film. My only complaint about this production is the unnecessary and distracting tacked-on love story.
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The Harmonists reminds us to have a sense of gratitude for the simple things in life. More importantly, it teaches that as abundant as life?s simplicities can be, they can also be precarious.
Chris Kaynes
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Dale Delorenzo