MAX AND HELEN (TV)
Summary
This docudrama chronicles the work of Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal as he tracks down two childhood lovers -- Max Rosenberg and Helen Weiss -- separated by the Holocaust, in hopes that they will testify against a Nazi labor camp commander. The movie begins in 1962 as Wiesenthal travels to Paris to hear Max's story first-hand and to learn about the atrocities that the Nazi commandant, Werner Schultze, carried out at the prison camp. However, Max refuses to speak with Wiesenthal about anything related to the Holocaust, which leaves Wiesenthal in a bind, unable to bring Schultze to trial without first-hand evidence or testimony. Later at his hotel, Wiesenthal is surprised by a visit from Max who appears ready to confront the past. Max talks about his love for Helen and their plans to marry after Max finished medical school. But before those plans could be realized, the Nazi army invaded Poland and deported the Jews to labor camps. Helen and Max are sent to the same camp while her parents are sent in a different direction never to be heard from again. When they first arrive at the camp, everyone is surprised at the bearable living conditions, considering the terrible state of the ghettos they just came from. Just as things are running smoothly at the camp, a new commandant arrives and transforms the Jews from laborers to prisoners. Max and Helen are instantly separated and are not allowed to talk to one another at any time. However, at a secret meeting, Max tells Helen that some of the men are planning an escape and want her to join them. Helen wants to escape but refuses to leave her suffering sister behind, and she gives Max her blessing. After his escape, Max is arrested in Russia for alleged anti-Soviet activities and sent to a Siberian work prison for ten years. Following his imprisonment, Max returns to Poland to search for Helen, who may be dead, considering he hasn't seen or heard anything of her in nearly twenty-years. When he learns that Helen is still alive and living in Germany, Max becomes a refugee once again in order to find her. Upon arriving at Helen's address, Max can't believe his eyes when the door opens and he sees a young man who looks exactly like Schultze. Despite the happy reunion and his still burning love for Helen, Max can't bring himself to accept the story of how Helen came to give birth to her son. Without saying goodbye, Max leaves Helen's home and returns to his medical practice, knowing that going to find her was a mistake. After hearing Max's story, Wiesenthal travels to Germany to speak with Helen. He informs her that Schultze is still alive and well, living as a respected person and a distinguished businessman in his community. Helen is shocked by the news, but refuses to testify for Wiesenthal for the fear of destroying everything she's overcome to raise her son the way she wanted to. A year after these events, Max travels back to Germany to reunite with Helen once again. Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by Michael Finkelstein and Sue-ann Friedman, 1996.
Details
- NETWORK: TNT
- DATE: January 8, 1990 Monday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:33:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:45818
- GENRE: Docudrama; Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Docudrama; Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945); Holocaust survivors; Jews; World War II - Concentration camps; World War II - Personal narratives
- SERIES RUN: TNT - TV, 1990
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David R. Ginsburg … Executive Producer
- Steve McGlothen … Producer
- Steve Cooper … Co-Producer
- Madeleine Henrie … Associate Producer
- Philip Saville … Director
- Corey Blechman … Writer, Teleplay by
- Simon Wiesenthal … Writer, Based on the book by
- Christopher Young … Composer
- Treat Williams … Cast, Max Rosenberg
- Alice Krige … Cast, Helen Weiss
- Martin Landau … Cast, Simon Wiesenthal
- Jonathan Phillips … Cast, Werner Schultze and Marek Weiss
- Adam Kotz … Cast, Peter
- Jodhi May … Cast, Miriam Weiss
- Nicholas Woodeson … Cast, Martin Greenbaum
- Lulee Fisher … Cast, Judith
- Ian Bartholomew … Cast, the Magistrate
- Zoltan Gera … Cast, the Elderly Man
- John Grillo … Cast, Joseph Weiss
- Aviva Goldkorn … Cast, Mrs. Weiss
- Bela Jaki … Cast, the SS Officer at Camp
- Richard Kane … Cast, the Businessman
- Istvan Kanizsai … Cast, the SS Officer at Train
- Peter Kertesz … Cast, Otto
- Janos Kulka … Cast, Berek
- Agi Margittai … Cast, Wanda
- Matyas Margittai … Cast, Balke
- Ferenc Nemethi … Cast, Ackerman
- Gabor Schallinger … Cast, Gershon
- Otto Ulmann … Cast, Rubin