Reviews (10)

Just fabulous!
I am a Spanish teacher who talks about Argentina and the Dirty War and I use this film to perfectly illustrate how people were made to "disappear" and how power was abused, etc, and how the smallest of children became innocent victims. "The Official Story" does all of that and more. I also relate the film to the Holocaust, as these leaders may not have killed as many, but they used the same techniques. The movie is so well done.

A moving story, with subtlety, emotion, and truth.
The military juntas in Argentina had methods similar to those of Pinochet in Chile and Castro in Cuba. You will see in this movie how Argentine society wretched at the numerosity of the families suffering losses. You will see the "abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo," protesting in a way never seen before. But the uniqueness of this film lies in its portrayal of how an unlikely family finds that it, too, has fallen victim, in an unexpected way, in the wake of a secretly brutal regime.

The movie is poignant in another way: very subtlely, it portrays how an average man in the government, a husband who loves his wife and daughter dearly, is himself changed, profoundly, through his association with the government (a government willing to hurt its citizens in order to battle a threatening ideology). The slow, subtle build-up of a tension that must be resolved, and the crescendo in the final scenes, are moving. In the end, in its portrayal of a particular case (Argentina), this movie holds a mirror to human nature, showing us both the depths, as well as the heights, which men and women can reach.

This appears to be one of the best Argentine films made in the '80s. I think it shows that Argentine filmmaking is alive and well. If you like this movie, I would also recommend another Argentine film: Man Facing Southeast, a more reflective, philosophical movie, with a very subtle religious interrogative, probing the question of who we are as human beings.

Norma as Alicia
This actress is phenomenal in this role. She IS Alicia and her portrayal of coming to terms with Argentina's dirty war secrets is the most compelling acting I've seen in my life. She is simply remarkable and the film's power and emotion center on her flawless portrayal.
Some heart-wrenching moments:
When she gently unfolds her baby's cloth diaper, long saved in a box of momentos from her infancy, or when she snuggles up to little Gaby, holding tight to her child, the woman's agony becomes so real that you forget that you're watching a movie and your heart feels the pain of her situation.
I've seen this movie at least 10 times and I find myself still tearing up when Norma performs Alicia so masterfully.

An interesting symbol I've noticed in the film:
The opening and closing of doors.
----Alicia watching the doors swing back and forth while witnessing the birth of a child in the hospital
----Alicia seeing a door at Roberto's office suddenly close, to hide a criminal act in progress
----Roberto closing the door on her fingers, as if to keep her from passing through the door
----Alicia's departure, the silence leading up to the heavy close of the door, as we see her profile finally pass through.
(These are the examples that come to mind. I'm sure there are more)
In the context of Argentine history in the mid 1980's, the country itself was passing through a door to democracy.

(Un pasito para allí, que miedo que me da...) The music is a perfect thematic instrument in the film as well.

What a complex and aesthetic film this is!

The Story Of Us
As and argentinian citizen, I think this is the one of the most representative film about us, ever made. The screenplay shows in a very close way, the dark years of our history, when democracy was just a dream. Norma Aleandro and Hector Alteiro are simply perfect in their roles and the music of Atilio Stampone is oustanding. The first (and by the moment, the only) Oscar for Best Foreing Language Film, to Argentina. I'm really proud that people around the world could appreciate this magnificent film.

Shocking History
I have seen this movie at least 5 times and I love it. It's a great story based on true historical events that took place in Argentina into the 1980s. This movie is a great educational tool for older audiences, especially those interesting in Latin American history. Shocking and unbelievable. Definitely a good addition to anyone's historical-drama collection. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Breathtaking
The ability to draw out different emotions from the viewer is this movie's strength. How can one not fall in love with the general and then hate him later? Each character is mysterious and sad, but they blend together perfectly. I loved this movie and will keep it in my collection forever.

The Old Gringo - Truth, Innocence and the Mexican Revolution
El Gringo Viejo was a truly remarkable book. When I found that they had made a movie of it I was skeptical. How could a movie portray the characters in the book with any justice. I was plesantly surprised. Gregory Peck's portrayal of truth and it's death in the Mexican Revolution, Jane Fonda's portrayal of innocence and it's ultimate loss and Jimmy Smits portrayal of General Arroyo, a parallel for the idealistic beginnings, eventual corruption, and finally death of the Mexican Revolution of 1910, were a wonderful tribute to the book and it's author. It is a rare masterpiece.
It is a treasure that I would recommend to anyone.

The Hemisphere Turned Upside Down
The Old Gringo--an historically-based novel by Mexican diplomat, intellectual and author Carlos Fuentes--is a sensitive, complex, and ultimately satisfying portrayal of the Mexican people and a core period in their history. Not only is the acting intense and heartfelt, but also the hemisphere is turned upside down and one is allowed in for a moment to a world that trips to modern resort beaches can never access--the passionate, fascinating, suffering, poverty-stricken, and tempted-to-revolution nature of life in Latin America. For Fonda, herself a young revolutionary (disagree if you like) during the Vietnam War, and those like myself who have been to war-stricken lands like Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and, yes, today's Mexico with its Zapatista movement in Chiapas, the passion of a people actively engaged in fundamental rhythms of everyday life and survival is inspiring beyond words. Each of the three principle characters--the young revolutionary general (Jimmy Smits), the spinster American school teacher (Jane Fonda) and the self-exiled American writer Ambrose Bierce (Gregory Peck)--are presented with a common dilemma, a dilemma presented to many of us of relative wealth and privilege (i.e., any American by comparison with our third world brothers and sisters) by the choice between our life of comfort and relative ease as compared with a life of sacrifice and commitment to a greater common good. The dilemmas are real, the passions are palpable, and a world turned upside down--like the upside-down map of the hemisphere on revolutionary General Poncho Villa's wall--is a wonder to behold. From the brutal "murder" of a horse to the beautiful and sensitive portrayals of the peasant people in the midst of revolution, this movie is an all-time favorite of mine. I am glad I have found out where to get it because at one time I had been told it was unavailable. It will now hold a spot on my shelf with a number of other signicant "main stream" pictures on Latin America, including Olmos's 1992 "American Me", Nava's 1983 "El Norte" and Oliver Stone's 1986 "Salvador"--pictures that had to be made but could only have been made by the right person in the right time. Puenzo as director with Fonda, Peck, and Smits were the right people coming together in the right place for this one.

Gregory Peck was great
This movie is set in rural Mexico in the early years of the twentieth century. An emotionally lost, sexually-frustrated woman, Harriet (wonderfully portrayed by Fonda), leaves her southern belle existence to tutor children on a hacienda in Mexico. Just before leaving, she watches Ambrose Bierce deliver a lecture to a group of journalists where he issues a manic, mean-spirited farewell to that life. Bierce (Gregory Peck)has also decided to go to Mexico. She's desperately trying to find herself; he has calmly and systematically set out to lose himself. They meet again in a band of rebels led by General Tomas Arroyo (Smits) and the excitement (and love triangle) begins.

The movie is very loosely based upon the novel The Old Gringo, by Carlos Fuentes. Unlike the character known as the Old Man or the Old Gringo in the novel, Ambrose Bierce is immediately identified by name and is immediately recognizable by character traits. In the novel, the Old Man is very enigmatic, vague and hard to place. Here, the Old Gringo is all that one would expect Ambrose Bierce to be -- abusive, arrogant, conflicted, bitter, supremely sarcastic and, strangely enough, admirable. Gregory Peck was so Bierce-ish, at times I was enchanted.

If you've ever wondered how Ambrose Bierce met his end, this is a nice flight of fancy.

Old Gringo
Peck and Fonda at their best and typical Smits; an emotional feast ... Read more

Description

From Steven Spielberg and Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation comes Broken Silence, a series of five films about human courage, heroism, and triumph over intense adversities during World War II. This critically acclaimed series was produced by Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Moll.

Some Who Lived

Argentine filmmaker Luis Puenzo (director of the Academy Award-winning film, The Official Story) directed this Spanish-language film, weaving together testimonies from Holocaust survivors now living in Argentina and Uruguay with archival and modern-day footage. Puenzo also explores the connections between Nazism and the darker chapters of Argentine history.

Eyes of the Holocaust

Director Janos Szasz, the son of Holocaust survivors, made this Hungarian-language documentary that focuses on the experiences of survivors who were children during the Holocaust.

Children from the Abyss

Russian Holocaust survivors detail their experiences of resistance, betrayal, collaborators, rescuers, bystanders and the desire for revenge. Directed by Pavel Chukhraj (Academy Award Nominee for his film, The Thief).

I Remember

Academy Award Honoree, Andrzej Wajda directed this Polish-language documentary about four survivors who were either helped or betrayed by their Polish neighbors.

Hell on Earth

Renowned Czech filmmaker Vojtech Jasny directed this Czech-language documentary, a look at Theresienstadt, the "model" Czech ghetto set up by the Nazis to deceive the world about how well the Jews were treated. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is one of those rare political films that transcend politics with a stirring emotional story. Argentinean first-time director Luis Puenzo tells the story of a strong-willed teacher who tries to learn the true identity of her adopted daughter's father, coming to suspect that he was a political prisoner. Her political awakening is actually an emotional one as well becauseof her detached persona. Ironically, even though she is a teacher, she doesn't connect with people very well, thinking of history in the most abstract terms. But she learns the painful truth of present-day life. Tautlydirected by Puenzo, The Official Story was a 1985 Oscar-winner for Best Foreign Film, with a riveting performance by Norma Aleandro. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Just fabulous!
I am a Spanish teacher who talks about Argentina and the Dirty War and I use this film to perfectly illustrate how people were made to "disappear" and how power was abused, etc, and how the smallest of children became innocent victims. "The Official Story" does all of that and more. I also relate the film to the Holocaust, as these leaders may not have killed as many, but they used the same techniques. The movie is so well done.

A moving story, with subtlety, emotion, and truth.
The military juntas in Argentina had methods similar to those of Pinochet in Chile and Castro in Cuba. You will see in this movie how Argentine society wretched at the numerosity of the families suffering losses. You will see the "abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo," protesting in a way never seen before. But the uniqueness of this film lies in its portrayal of how an unlikely family finds that it, too, has fallen victim, in an unexpected way, in the wake of a secretly brutal regime.

The movie is poignant in another way: very subtlely, it portrays how an average man in the government, a husband who loves his wife and daughter dearly, is himself changed, profoundly, through his association with the government (a government willing to hurt its citizens in order to battle a threatening ideology). The slow, subtle build-up of a tension that must be resolved, and the crescendo in the final scenes, are moving. In the end, in its portrayal of a particular case (Argentina), this movie holds a mirror to human nature, showing us both the depths, as well as the heights, which men and women can reach.

This appears to be one of the best Argentine films made in the '80s. I think it shows that Argentine filmmaking is alive and well. If you like this movie, I would also recommend another Argentine film: Man Facing Southeast, a more reflective, philosophical movie, with a very subtle religious interrogative, probing the question of who we are as human beings.

Norma as Alicia
This actress is phenomenal in this role. She IS Alicia and her portrayal of coming to terms with Argentina's dirty war secrets is the most compelling acting I've seen in my life. She is simply remarkable and the film's power and emotion center on her flawless portrayal.
Some heart-wrenching moments:
When she gently unfolds her baby's cloth diaper, long saved in a box of momentos from her infancy, or when she snuggles up to little Gaby, holding tight to her child, the woman's agony becomes so real that you forget that you're watching a movie and your heart feels the pain of her situation.
I've seen this movie at least 10 times and I find myself still tearing up when Norma performs Alicia so masterfully.

An interesting symbol I've noticed in the film:
The opening and closing of doors.
----Alicia watching the doors swing back and forth while witnessing the birth of a child in the hospital
----Alicia seeing a door at Roberto's office suddenly close, to hide a criminal act in progress
----Roberto closing the door on her fingers, as if to keep her from passing through the door
----Alicia's departure, the silence leading up to the heavy close of the door, as we see her profile finally pass through.
(These are the examples that come to mind. I'm sure there are more)
In the context of Argentine history in the mid 1980's, the country itself was passing through a door to democracy.

(Un pasito para allí, que miedo que me da...) The music is a perfect thematic instrument in the film as well.

What a complex and aesthetic film this is!

The Story Of Us
As and argentinian citizen, I think this is the one of the most representative film about us, ever made. The screenplay shows in a very close way, the dark years of our history, when democracy was just a dream. Norma Aleandro and Hector Alteiro are simply perfect in their roles and the music of Atilio Stampone is oustanding. The first (and by the moment, the only) Oscar for Best Foreing Language Film, to Argentina. I'm really proud that people around the world could appreciate this magnificent film.

Shocking History
I have seen this movie at least 5 times and I love it. It's a great story based on true historical events that took place in Argentina into the 1980s. This movie is a great educational tool for older audiences, especially those interesting in Latin American history. Shocking and unbelievable. Definitely a good addition to anyone's historical-drama collection. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Just fabulous!
I am a Spanish teacher who talks about Argentina and the Dirty War and I use this film to perfectly illustrate how people were made to "disappear" and how power was abused, etc, and how the smallest of children became innocent victims. "The Official Story" does all of that and more. I also relate the film to the Holocaust, as these leaders may not have killed as many, but they used the same techniques. The movie is so well done.

A moving story, with subtlety, emotion, and truth.
The military juntas in Argentina had methods similar to those of Pinochet in Chile and Castro in Cuba. You will see in this movie how Argentine society wretched at the numerosity of the families suffering losses. You will see the "abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo," protesting in a way never seen before. But the uniqueness of this film lies in its portrayal of how an unlikely family finds that it, too, has fallen victim, in an unexpected way, in the wake of a secretly brutal regime.

The movie is poignant in another way: very subtlely, it portrays how an average man in the government, a husband who loves his wife and daughter dearly, is himself changed, profoundly, through his association with the government (a government willing to hurt its citizens in order to battle a threatening ideology). The slow, subtle build-up of a tension that must be resolved, and the crescendo in the final scenes, are moving. In the end, in its portrayal of a particular case (Argentina), this movie holds a mirror to human nature, showing us both the depths, as well as the heights, which men and women can reach.

This appears to be one of the best Argentine films made in the '80s. I think it shows that Argentine filmmaking is alive and well. If you like this movie, I would also recommend another Argentine film: Man Facing Southeast, a more reflective, philosophical movie, with a very subtle religious interrogative, probing the question of who we are as human beings.

Norma as Alicia
This actress is phenomenal in this role. She IS Alicia and her portrayal of coming to terms with Argentina's dirty war secrets is the most compelling acting I've seen in my life. She is simply remarkable and the film's power and emotion center on her flawless portrayal.
Some heart-wrenching moments:
When she gently unfolds her baby's cloth diaper, long saved in a box of momentos from her infancy, or when she snuggles up to little Gaby, holding tight to her child, the woman's agony becomes so real that you forget that you're watching a movie and your heart feels the pain of her situation.
I've seen this movie at least 10 times and I find myself still tearing up when Norma performs Alicia so masterfully.

An interesting symbol I've noticed in the film:
The opening and closing of doors.
----Alicia watching the doors swing back and forth while witnessing the birth of a child in the hospital
----Alicia seeing a door at Roberto's office suddenly close, to hide a criminal act in progress
----Roberto closing the door on her fingers, as if to keep her from passing through the door
----Alicia's departure, the silence leading up to the heavy close of the door, as we see her profile finally pass through.
(These are the examples that come to mind. I'm sure there are more)
In the context of Argentine history in the mid 1980's, the country itself was passing through a door to democracy.

(Un pasito para allí, que miedo que me da...) The music is a perfect thematic instrument in the film as well.

What a complex and aesthetic film this is!

The Story Of Us
As and argentinian citizen, I think this is the one of the most representative film about us, ever made. The screenplay shows in a very close way, the dark years of our history, when democracy was just a dream. Norma Aleandro and Hector Alteiro are simply perfect in their roles and the music of Atilio Stampone is oustanding. The first (and by the moment, the only) Oscar for Best Foreing Language Film, to Argentina. I'm really proud that people around the world could appreciate this magnificent film.

Shocking History
I have seen this movie at least 5 times and I love it. It's a great story based on true historical events that took place in Argentina into the 1980s. This movie is a great educational tool for older audiences, especially those interesting in Latin American history. Shocking and unbelievable. Definitely a good addition to anyone's historical-drama collection. ... Read more