422:, agreed, stating that "the cumulative impression...undermines whatever uplifting impact its title and publicity imply.... A closer scrutiny of the movie reveals that it is not about the triumph of the spirit but rather about 'choiceless choices', to use Lawrence Langer's term for the dilemma faced by death camp inmates, who were never offered any moral alternatives to prolong their survival." Baron suggests that this message is crystallized in one scene where Arouch is set to fight his best friend Jacko, who has already been beaten by the guards, knowing that the loser will be consigned to the gas chamber; when he balks, his friend is executed on the spot.
315:'s passion is boxing. Captured along with his family and fiancée Allegra in 1943 and interned in Auschwitz, Arouch is used by his SS captors as entertainment, forced to box against fellow prisoners. He knows that if he refuses, his family will be punished; if he wins, he will be given extra rations which he can share with them; if he loses, he will be sent to the
392:
Young was reluctant to make the film when he was first approached with the script, finding the topic too momentous to cover; he only agreed to direct when provided a script that focused only on one small element, "like a cork, bubbling on the surface of the sea." The film, which positions Arouch as a
467:
noted that the film "is too respectful of its subject to find more in it than noble cliches", highlighting Young's "bland direction" and concluding that "he film's only and considerable virtue lies in its documentation of the desperate strategies people devised to stay alive in the death camps."
417:
The title of the film is suggestive of human triumph, a view to which star Dafoe subscribed, but others, including actor Olmos perceived its impact differently: "hat does... project? The moral decay needed to survive in the camp." Lawrence Baron, the author of 2005's
29:
322:
The film follows the early life story of Salamo Arouch, though it takes some artistic liberties including the early introduction of wife
Allegra (a pseudonym for Marta Yechiel), whom Arouch did not actually meet until after the liberation of the camp.
451:("a memorably physical performance"), but complained that the film overall is "thoroughly mundane", obvious and sentimental, also singling out for criticism the "outstandingly intrusive score". Also taking note of the "intrusive score",
519:, a Polish boxer who fought for his life in Auschwitz. Once with a vastly heavier German member of the SS, who wanted to beat and kill him. Czortek won with his first punch, knocking the German to the floor.
482:, though acknowledging the generally negative critical reviews, opines that "Young's depiction of the ethical vacuum that the Nazis devised at Auschwitz makes the movie disturbing and effective."
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felt that, by showcasing the fights and expecting viewers to root for Arouch, the filmmakers in effect force audiences to behave no differently from the Nazis in the story. The 2005 book
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with the exception of Dafoe's "disciplined performance" and dismissed the film as "earnest but woefully misguided".
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witness to the horrors of the
Holocaust, was shot on a budget of US$ 12 million. Filming with permission at the
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Projecting the
Holocaust Into the Present: The Changing Focus of Contemporary Holocaust Cinema
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given the condition of those that remain. The film also shot briefly in
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Schindehette, Susan; Jack Kelley; Mira Avrech (1990-02-19).
269:. The majority of the film is set in the German POW camp at
541:, (2020) movie based on Pietrzykowski's fights in Auschwitz
533:, (1962) movie based on Pietrzykowski's fights in Auschwitz
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praised the performances of Dafoe ("harrowingly good") and
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was forced to fight other internees to the death for the
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Children of Fate: Life and Death in a
Sicilian Family
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1298:World War II films based on actual events
1243:English-language biographical drama films
480:Projecting the Holocaust Into the Present
420:Projecting the Holocaust Into the Present
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1213:American films based on actual events
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1253:Films produced by Arnold Kopelson
1248:Films directed by Robert M. Young
1218:American biographical drama films
787:Corliss, Richard (1990-01-08).
637:"Notes and news from Hollywood"
1258:Films scored by Cliff Eidelman
1193:1980s biographical drama films
765:. No. 570. Archived from
661:Broeske, Pat (23 April 1989).
1:
1021:The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
734:"The Camps as not often seen"
580:Taliabue, John (1989-05-14).
512:Victor Perez (Tunisian boxer)
159:Triumph Releasing Corporation
1198:1980s English-language films
878:. Rowman & Littlefield.
817:Ebert, Robert (1990-02-02).
789:"Hollywood On The Holocaust"
732:Maslin, Janet (1989-12-08).
395:Auschwitz concentration camp
16:1989 film by Robert M. Young
1233:American World War II films
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1109:China: The Panda Adventure
1273:Films set in Thessaloniki
173:8 December 1989
33:Theatrical release poster
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1228:American war drama films
1203:1980s sports drama films
872:Baron, Lawrence (2005).
149:Nova International Films
819:"Triumph of the Spirit"
759:"Triumph of the Spirit"
757:Travers, Peter (1989).
291:guards' entertainment.
840:Cite journal requires
457:found all of the cast
1223:American boxing films
1208:1980s war drama films
1053:Triumph of the Spirit
924:Triumph of the Spirit
913:Triumph of the Spirit
902:Triumph of the Spirit
709:Triumph of the Spirit
523:Tadeusz Pietrzykowski
233:Triumph of the Spirit
22:Triumph of the Spirit
1303:1980s American films
1283:Films shot in Poland
1278:Films shot in Israel
769:on November 20, 2007
492:List of boxing films
277:and details how the
1293:Triumph Films films
1268:Films set in Poland
1085:Solomon & Sheba
1061:Talent for the Game
1045:Dominick and Eugene
981:Secrets of the Reef
799:on October 26, 2012
530:The Boxer and Death
359:Kelly Wolf as Elena
262:The Boxer and Death
236:is a 1989 American
635:UPI (1989-03-17).
444:The New York Times
426:Critical reception
342:Edward James Olmos
253:Edward James Olmos
92:Edward James Olmos
1263:Films set in 1943
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1144:Nothing but a Man
667:Los Angeles Times
475:Chicago Sun-Times
432:review aggregator
405:. Boxing trainer
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53:Andrzej Krakowski
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833:cite journal
822:. Retrieved
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797:the original
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643:. p. 35
641:Deseret News
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619:. Retrieved
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585:
546:The Survivor
544:
538:The Champion
536:
528:
507:Noah Klieger
479:
473:
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459:melodramatic
452:
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333:Willem Dafoe
321:
305:Thessaloniki
298:
279:Jewish Greek
265:directed by
260:
249:Willem Dafoe
243:directed by
238:biographical
232:
231:
230:
217:$ 12 million
189:Running time
166:Release date
112:Curtis Clark
87:Willem Dafoe
72:Shimon Arama
1117:Human Error
1037:Extremities
997:Alambrista!
470:Roger Ebert
407:Teddy Atlas
369:Kario Salem
317:gas chamber
273:during the
267:Peter Solan
193:120 minutes
61:Produced by
39:Directed by
1183:1989 films
1177:Categories
989:Short Eyes
858:Baron, 92.
824:2009-01-22
803:2008-11-22
773:2008-11-22
743:2008-11-22
719:2022-08-08
697:Baron, 91.
647:2008-11-22
621:2008-11-22
591:2008-11-22
554:References
502:Harry Haft
388:Production
356:as Allegra
241:drama film
222:Box office
177:1989-12-08
142:Production
49:Written by
1005:Rich Kids
964:Films by
679:Baron, 90
399:crematory
377:as Janush
301:stevedore
275:Holocaust
271:Auschwitz
225:$ 408,839
117:Edited by
1077:Roosters
973:Directed
486:See also
434:website
371:as Jacko
365:as Avram
344:as Gypsy
206:Language
131:Music by
80:Starring
1160:To Fly!
472:of the
209:English
198:Country
175: (
144:company
1163:(1976)
1155:(1973)
1147:(1964)
1128:(2011)
1120:(2004)
1112:(2001)
1104:(1996)
1101:Caught
1096:(1995)
1088:(1995)
1080:(1993)
1072:(1993)
1064:(1991)
1056:(1989)
1048:(1988)
1040:(1986)
1032:(1986)
1024:(1982)
1016:(1980)
1008:(1979)
1000:(1977)
992:(1977)
984:(1956)
882:
403:Israel
309:Greece
257:Slovak
214:Budget
559:Notes
413:Theme
282:boxer
259:film
907:IMDb
880:ISBN
846:help
793:Time
327:Cast
295:Plot
251:and
927:at
916:at
905:at
617:(7)
430:On
335:as
303:in
1179::
837::
835:}}
831:{{
791:.
761:.
736:.
712:,
665:.
639:.
615:33
613:.
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584:.
566:^
311:,
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299:A
289:SS
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943:v
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844:(
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179:)
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