Director: Volker Schlöndorff
Year Released: 2014
Rating: 2.5
Near the conclusion of WWII, Nazi General Dietrich von Choltitz (Niels Arestrup), planning on following Hitler's order to destroy Paris (by blowing up its bridges and landmarks) while staying in the Hôtel Meurice, gets a surprise visit from diplomat Raoul Nordling (André Dussollier), who tries to convince him not to decimate the city and kill (potentially) citizens. It's based on a play (by Cyril Gely) and, of course, feels like a filmed play (despite efforts by Schlöndorff to 'expand' the scope of the project outside the hotel room) but I couldn't help but be taken in by the repartee of the two experienced older lead performers - Arestrup and Dussollier take the standard "don't blow up Paris"/"I'm blowing up Paris" back-and-forth and grant it an air of worldliness ... and fatigue (Arestrup's character has health issues). Whether it played out like this historically speaking (most likely not) is besides the point: when it comes to moral quandaries, go with what you feel is right. The City of Light remains, and that's all that matters.
