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Miracle at Midnight
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Miracle at Midnight is a TV movie based on the Rescue of the Danish Jews in Denmark during the Holocaust. It is a Disneyproduction and premiered on ABC in 1998. It was also portrayed in Ms. Saporita's "Morality" along with others including a documentary about a nun in South America.
Contents
[hide]PlotPlot[edit]
Set in Denmark during September 1943, Miracle at Midnight tells the dramatic true story of the Danish rescue of Jews from deportation to Nazi concentration camps. Doctor Karl (Sam Waterston) and Doris (Mia Farrow) Koster are a Christian couple living in Copenhagen with their two children, 18-year-old Henrik (Justin Whalin) and preteen Else (Nicola Mycroft).
As Chief Surgeon of Christiana Hospital, Doctor Koster initially uses his position to protect a young resistance fighter shot by the Nazis. Meanwhile, Henrik is secretly working for the same group, commandeering weapons sent to the Nazis.
On Wednesday, September 29, 1943 (three years into the occupation), Doctor Koster learns of the imminent arrest of the Danish Jews on midnight Friday (the beginning of Rosh Hashanah). The Kosters start by hiding Rabbi Ben Abrams and his family, but soon realize they can help more Jews and become an integral part of an effort to transport over 7,000 Jews to neutral Sweden.
Doctor Koster, hospital staff and his family work with the resistance to save the Danish Jews from Theresienstadt Concentration Camp. As Doctor Koster narrates, "In every language and religion, to be humane is to love your neighbor."
Henrik and his friend load up a truckload of Jews and plan to send them to Sweden. There they are stopped by German Nazi officials. They ask Henrik to open the back of the truck. When the Nazis find Jews, Henrik's friend runs and hides in the woods, and gets help from Henrik's father, who springs Henrik, but Henrik's friend is killed while distracting the Germans.
First they find hiding places for the Jews to survive the initial raids, and then work with the Swedish government and local fishermen to transport them to safety. Meanwhile, Henrik secures trucks and other transport to get people to the coast. They discover that one of the fishermen that was helping them transport Jews was a traitor and tried to turn them in to the Germans.
Finally, the Kosters themselves have to flee when the Nazis discover their work. Doris Koster is captured by the Nazis, but the rest manage to escape to Sweden. Doris is soon released and the family is reunited after the war has ended. (The reunion is not shown in the film.)[editCast[edit]
- Sam Waterston as Dr. Karl Koster
- Mia Farrow as Doris Koster
- Justin Whalin as Henrik Koster
- Patrick Malahide as Georg Duckwitz
Production notes[edit]
The film opens with a map of Nazi-occupied Europe in 1943. The map includes numerous errors. Austria is not displayed as an incorporated part of Germany. Yugoslavia shows its current division into independent republics. East Prussia is not shown; the Kaliningrad enclave appears instead.
An official can be seen reading the Völkischer Beobachter, the Nazi Party newspaper.
]Notes[edit]
- First aired: Sunday, May 17
- As part of the Wonderful World of Disney Classroom Edition series, Miracle at Midnight has a website with a range of supporting educational materials, [1]
1940s[edit]
Year Country Title Director Notes 1946 
USAThe Stranger Orson Welles First feature film to include footage of concentration camps[1] 1947 
PolandThe Last Stage Wanda Jakubowska English titles: The Last Stage, The Last Stop 1947 
GermanyEhe im Schatten Kurt Maetzig One of the earliest DEFA productions. English title: Marriage in the Shadows 1948 GermanyMorituri Eugen York 1948 USAThe Search Fred Zinnemann 1949 USA
West GermanyLang ist der Weg Herbert B. Fredersdorf
Marek GoldsteinYiddish title: Lang iz der Veg; English title: Long Is the Road 1950s[edit]
1950s[edit]
Year Country Title Director Notes 1950 
CzechoslovakiaDistant Journey Alfréd Radok English title: Distant Journey 1953 USAThe Juggler Edward Dmytryk 1956 USASinging in the Dark Max Nosseck Musical about Holocaust survivor with amnesia 1958–59 
USAPursuit Ian Sharp Anthology series 1959 
East Germany
BulgariaStars Konrad Wolf English title: Stars 1959 USAThe Diary of Anne Frank George Stevens Won 3 Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actress 1959 
Italy
Yugoslavia
FranceKapò Gillo Pontecorvo 1960s[edit]1960s[edit]
Year Country Title Director Notes 1960 CzechoslovakiaRomeo, Julie a tma Jiří Weiss English title: Romeo, Juliet and Darkness. ConcernsOperation Anthropoid. 1960 USAExodus Otto Preminger Based on the novel by Leon Uris; screenplay byDalton Trumbo. 1960 YugoslaviaDeveti krug France Stiglic English title:The Ninth Circle 1961 USAJudgment at Nuremberg Stanley Kramer Winner of 2 Academy Awards For Best Actor and Best Adopted Screenplay 1961 PolandSamson Andrzej Wajda 1961 
BelgiumL'enclos Armand Gatti Italian title: Otto ore al buio. Prix de la Critique at 1961 Cannes Festival. 1963 PolandPassenger Andrzej Munk 1964 USAThe Pawnbroker Sidney Lumet 1965 East GermanyChronik eines Mordes Joachim Hasler English title:Chronicle of a Murder 1965 CzechoslovakiaThe Shop On Main Street Ján Kadár and Elmar Klos 1967 USAThe Diary of Anne Frank Alex Segal TV movie 1967 FranceArmy of Shadows Jean Pierre Melville 1970s[edit]
1980s[edit]
1990s[edit]1990s[edit]
Year Country Title Director Notes 1990 West GermanyAbrahams Gold Jörg Graser 1990 Germany
France
PolandEuropa Europa Agnieszka Holland 1990 PolandKorczak Andrzej Wajda Based on the true story of Dr. Janusz Korczak and his attempt to keep alive the children in his Warsaw Ghetto orphanage. 1991 PolandJeszcze tylko ten las Jan Lomnicki English title: Just Beyond That Forest 1991 USANever Forget Joseph Sargent TV movie; based on the life of Mel Mermelstein 1991 
CanadaThe Quarrel Eli Cohen Based on the story My Quarrel with Hersh Rasseyner by Chaim Grade 1992 
UK
FrancePrague Ian Sellar 1992 USAAlan and Naomi Sterling Van Wagenen based on a novel by Myron Levoy 1992 USAThe Witness Chris Gerolmo Short film 1993 Italy
FranceJona che visse nella balena Roberto Faenza English title: Jonah Who Lived in the Whale, aka Look to the Sky 1993 USASchindler's List Steven Spielberg Based on the novel by Thomas Kenneally about the real-life Schindler, a popular industrialist who cleverly manipulated the Nazis to save others, this movie, filmed entirely in black and white, won 7Academy Awards, including Best Picture.[2] 1993 USA Swing Kids Thomas Carter Young teens in Nazi Germany listen to banned swing music and deal with the pressures of joining the Nazi Youth Army. 1995 FranceLes Misérables Claude Lelouch 1995 
JapanAnne no nikki Akinori Nagaoka Anime adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank 1996 USAVoices of the Children Zuzana Justman Winner of the 1999 Emmy Award for Best Historical Program 1996 USAThe Empty Mirror Barry J. Hershey 1996 USAThe Man Who Captured Eichmann William A. Graham Based on the book Eichmann in My Hands by Peter Z. Malkin 1996 USAMother Night Keith Gordon Based on the novel by Kurt Vonnegut, and starring Nick Nolte. 1996 USAThe Ring Armand Mastroianni TV film; based on the novel by Danielle Steel 1996 USAThe Substance of Fire Daniel J. Sullivan Based on the play by Jon Robin Baitz 1997 Italy
France
Germany
SwitzerlandLa Tregua Francesco Rosi English title: The Truce. Based on the autobiography by Primo Levi 1997 USAVisas and Virtue Chris Tashima Short film; based on the play by Tim Toyama 1997 ItalyLa vita è bella Roberto Benigni English title: Life is Beautiful. Won 3 Academy Awards Including Best Actor for Robert Benigni 1997 
Denmark
UK
GermanyThe Island on Bird Street Soren Kragh-Jacobsen Based on the book by Uri Orlev 1997 UKBent Sean Mathias Based on the play by Martin Sherman 1998 USAApt Pupil Bryan Singer Based on the novela by Stephen King 1998 
Netherlands
BelgiumLeft Luggage Jeroen Krabbé Based on the novel by Carl Friedman 1998 USAMiracle at Midnight Ken Cameron TV movie 1998 USAPola's March Jonathan Gruber 1998 France
Belgium
Netherlands
IsraelTrain of Life Radu Mihaileanu 1999 Czech RepublicAll My Loved Ones Matej Mináč 1999 USAThe Devil's Arithmetic Donna Deitch Based on the novel by Jane Yolen 1999 GermanyGloomy Sunday - Ein Lied von Liebe und Tod Rolf Schübel Based on the novel by Nick Barkow 1999 USAJakob the Liar Peter Kassovitz Based on the novel by Jurek Becker 1999 Germany
Austria
Canada
HungarySunshine István Szabó 2000s[edit]
Year Country Title Directors Notes 2000 Czech RepublicMusíme si pomáhat Jan Hřebejk English title: Divided We Fall 2000 CanadaNuremberg Yves Simoneau TV movie; based on the book by Joseph E. Persico 2000 Czech RepublicPramen života Milan Cieslar English title: The Spring Of Life; based on the book by Vladimír Körner 2000 USA
PolandEdges of the Lord Yurek Bogayevicz 2001 USAAnne Frank: The Whole Story Robert Dornhelm TV movie; based on the book by Melissa Müller 2001 USA
UKConspiracy Frank Pierson TV movie 2001 USAThe Grey Zone Tim Blake Nelson Based on the book 2001 GermanyNirgendwo in Afrika Caroline Link English title: Nowhere in Africa; adaptation ofStefanie Zweig's autobiographical novel 2001 USAUprising Jon Avnet TV movie 2002 France
GermanyAmen. Costa-Gavras Based on the play The Deputy by Rolf Hochhuth 2002 France
Germany
UK
PolandThe Pianist Roman Polanski Based on the autobiography by Wladyslaw Szpilman; Won 3 Academy Awards 2002 Czech RepublicThe Power of Good Matej Mináč Documentary[3][4] 2003 HungaryA Rózsa énekei Andor Szilágyi 2003 ItalyFacing Windows Ferzan Özpetek English title: Facing Windows 2003 USAThe Singing Forest Jorge Ameer 2003 USAOut of the Ashes Joseph Sargent Based on the book I Was a Doctor in Auschwitz byGisella Perl 2003 USAHitler: The Rise of Evil Christian Duguay TV movie 2003 GermanyBabiy Yar Jeff Kanew 2005 Poland
SwedenNinas resa Lena Einhorn 2005 FranceA Love to Hide Christian Faure TV movie 2005 USAEverything is Illuminated Liev Schreiber Based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer 2005 UKPrimo Richard Wilson TV movie 2005 GermanySophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage Marc Rothemund English title: Sophie Scholl: The Final Days 2005 HungaryFateless Lajos Koltai Based on the book by Imre Kertész 2006 NetherlandsBlack Book Paul Verhoeven 2006 Germany
Czech RepublicDer Letzte Zug Joseph Vilsmaier/Dana Vávrová English title: The Last Train 2006 USAForgiving Dr. Mengele Bob Hercules
Cheri Pugh2007 Germany
AustriaThe Counterfeiters Stefan Ruzowitzky Based on a memoir written by Adolf Burger 2008 UKGod on Trial Andy DeEmmony 2008 UK
USAThe Boy in the Striped Pajamas Mark Herman Adaptation of John Boyne's novel 2008 USADefiance Edward Zwick Based on the book by Nechama Tec 2008 UK
USAThe Reader Stephen Daldry Based on the book by Bernhard Schlink
Kate Winslet won Academy Award For Best Actress2008 Hungary
Germany
UKGood Vicente Amorim Based on the play by Cecil Philip Taylor 2009 FranceLa rafle Rose Bosch Based on the true story of a young Jewish boy 2009 FranceL'armée du crime Robert Guédiguian English title: The Army of Crime 2009 USA
GermanyInglourious Basterds Quentin Tarantino 2009 USA
Poland
CanadaThe Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler John Kent Harrison TV movie 2010s[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Wilson, Kristi M.; Crowder-Taraborrelli, Tomás F., eds. (2012). Film and Genocide. Madison, Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press. p. 11.ISBN 9780299285647.
- ^ Schindler's List website.
- ^ Síla lidskosti - Nicholas Winton at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Geleman Educational Foundation: Nicholas Winton.
- ^ [1] Archived December 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Holocaust Era in Croatia: Jasenovac 1941-1945". Ushmm.org. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
- ^ "Watch The Full Program Online | Memory Of The Camps | FRONTLINE". PBS. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
- ^ http://piermarton.info/say-im-a-jew-by-pier-marton-1985-28-min/
- ^ Purple Triangles (1991). IMDb.
- ^ Chasing Shadows (1991) – Plot summary:imdb.com
- ^ The film has been described as an « enquête historique, poétique et philosophique sur les traces de l'extermination des Juifs dans Paris et sa banlieue aujourd’hui » — French Wikipedia.
- ^ a b THE SPECIALIST, portrait of a modern criminal 1999, eyalsivan.info (click Awards tab at the top of the article)
- ^ a b UN SPÉCIALISTE - PORTRAIT D'UN CRIMINEL MODERNE // THE SPECIALIST, PORTRAIT OF A MODERN CRIMINAL, Doc Aliance: VOTRE CINÉMA DOCUMENTAIRE EN LIGNE (click drop-downs forFESTIVALS and PRIX)
- ^ (2013). Post script to June 6th posting "...watching Eichman", NYU Orphan Film Project, The Orphan Film Symposium: Archivists, academics, & artists saving, studying, & screening neglected moving images, June 20, 2013
- ^ Tryster, Stewart (2011). Audio recording (provided byNew York University) of a lecture by Stewart Tryster outlining his criticisms of the film Un spécialiste, delivered at the Sorbonne conference Le procès Eichmann: Réceptions, médiations, postérités, June 7–9, 2011 (42
Common topics[edit]
Many aspects of this conflict have repeatedly been the subject of drama. These common subjects will not be linked when they appear in the film descriptions below:- Europe
- Adolf Hitler, Nazis and Nazism
- Nazi Germany (Third Reich)
- Gestapo and SS
- Benito Mussolini
- Death camps, Nazi concentration camps, earlier concentration camps
- Partition and occupation of Poland and Polish resistance
- Occupied France, Vichy France and French Resistance
- Occupied Norway
- The Holocaust
- Asia–Pacific
- Non-geographical
