Hungarian Holocaust film from 1989–buried for decades–has just resurfaced & is playing now in NYC. But alas, the problem is that Forced March is really, really bad. Terrible screenplay, horrible acting, & cheesy “making of a movie” movie structure combine to make it almost impossible to watch.
I am sure there is a worthy story to be told about the life & death of Hungarian poet Miklós Radnóti, but this is not it. However if Forced March creates renewed interest in Radnóti, then maybe it will have fulfilled its purpose.
Click HERE for a feature in the New York’s Village Voice about why this film is now back in American theatres.
Top Photo: Chris Sarandon as “Ben Kline” a Jewish-American actor cast as Hungarian poet Miklós Radnóti. The director (John Seitz) doesn’t think he can handle the part but he hires Ben anyway to secure American financing. Ben, the son of Holocaust survivors, is determined grab his chance for gravitas & rise to the occasion.
Bottom Photo: Even though a friend provides papers documenting that Radnóti is a Catholic convert, he is sent to a labor camp on the Yugoslavian border anyway. But why isn’t Radnóti ever made to wear a yellow armband? No information is ever provided about the men in this camp. Are they all Jews? A mix of Jews & political prisoners? Who knows. Suffice it to say wearing a white armband instead of a yellow armband does nothing to make Radnóti’s life in the camp any easier.
Photo Credits: ?
