Horror

Kapo
Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo
Starring: Susan Strasberg

This is perhaps the most effective and affecting holocaust movie ever made. The argument about whether or not movies about the holocaust qualify as nothing more than objectifying and glamorizing one of the most horrifying episodes in human history is not one that I'd like to make in this piece, rather, I'd like to remark on how well made the movie is.
The movie tells the story of Edith, a French Jew who is taken to a concentration camp and forced to watch as the rest of her family is sent to die. She is a weak and very young girl, no more than thirteen or fourteen. She cannot manage the rigors of the camp, but through good fortune is able to change her identify. She goes from being a Jew, destined for the gas chamber, to a common criminal who has the possibility of becoming a Kapo. After she becomes one, she begins a relationship with one of the guards and becomes a terror to her fellow inmates. However, once Russian POW's arrive, the situation changes and we watch as Edith is given the possibility to redeem herself for her sins.
The character of Edith is beautifully played by Susan Strasberg. She manages to take us from innocence to a hardened member of the camp and back again. She shows tenderness and anger, it is truly a masterful performance.
The movie is wonderful, horrifying, and by far one of if not the best movie about the subject I have ever seen. It manages to disturb as much as Schindler's List does, without showing any blood on screen. It is a movie that should be seen by all and hopefully will become increasingly available in the future.