The Boys from Brazil

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source: The Boys from Brazil

The Boys from Brazil

In The Boys From Brazil, Gregory Peck gives a truly mesmerizing performance as the infamous Nazi scientist Josef Mengele. He is wicked and cruel and yet sympathetic and charismatic. I sometimes use the scene select option on the DVD just to rewatch some of his scenes. While Olivier is a great actor I just think he is totally overshadowed by Peck in this role. Olivier's character is allegedly based on the ruthless Nazi hunter Simon Wisenthal. But the way Olivier was asked to portray Lieberman, it makes him look bumbling and weak. Maybe the filmmakers are just sticking to the source material, Ira Levin's book, which I admittedly haven't read. Mention should also be made of James Mason who plays the Nazi colonel who at first supports Mengele but then abandons him after Neo-Nazi command pulls the plug on the good doctor's project. In summary, this film is a pure treat for Gregory Peck fans, 8/10.

I had read "The Boys From Brazil" years before I ever saw the movie. When I did see the film, I was amazed how closely it actually tracked the brilliantly-written novel. This is an excellent thriller. The Nazi's plot is unraveled slowly, first filling you with confusion, then disbelief, and finally, astonishment & terror. As far-fetched as the Nazi's scheme sounds at first, it really is close enough to medical reality for a taste of true horror. Gregory Peck is disturbingly realistic as the Nazi doctor Mengele, who masterminds the entire fiendish plot. His character in the film is so real and sinister as to be completely believable. In fact, the entire cast does such a great job that the movie's plot strikes even closer to home. If you like well-written, well acted suspense/thrillers, this is one of the very best. I highly recommend it.

This is such a classic piece of mystery drama, it's inconceivable that it's not better known. A late seventies film starring the cream of cinema from 20 years earlier, this follows a Nazi plot (in the present day) and the efforts of a Nazi hunter to put the pieces together. The elements include a number of apparently unrelated children, a decades-old plot, a series of murders, Josef Mengele, and a short appearance by one `Steven' Guttenberg, in an early film role. When you finally realise what has been going on, it ups the stakes dramatically. Well worth seeking out.

The title may seem a little odd at first, you may stumble upon it expecting to see muscled guys from Sao Paulo in swimming trunks... I jest of course, this is an excellent film, it starts off what you'd expect from a Nazi hunger film, but as it develops it gets darker and darker, the story becomes apparent after a while, you're able to put the jigsaw pieces together, and see the whole picture. It's well paced, dramatic, and packed with action, some of it is actually pretty violent, the conclusion even now is really rather shocking. Peck and Olivier shine through, Peck in particular the acting is outstanding, I couldn't believe just how many famous faces kept on popping up, Prunella Scales, Michael Gough, all small parts, but clearly wanted to be a part of it. No wonder it was nominated for three Oscars. 9/10.