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Jakob the Liar is one of those movies that's so good you'll find yourself watching it over and over. The nuanced performances of the ensemble cast are virtually impossible to absorb and appreciate in just one viewing. Few actors could carry the lead in a movie with such depressing subject matter without leaving you depressed. Robin Williams creates magic as only he can by making you laugh while always maintaining complete respect for this horrendous period in history. I didn't 'find' this movie until a few years after it was made. I'd never even heard of it but I'm greateful serendipity brought it to me because I absolutely love it and recommend it wholeheartedly.
Robin Williams was not only the lead in this film, but one of the producers. Sometimes it's hard to take him seriously since we are used to his wild and zany performance on stage as a comedian. I must say, his love will always be film and what it means to him. Williams plays a man named Jakob Heym imprisoned within the own walls of the towns where they used to live. It was their own walls that the Nazi soldiers block up and encamped them in. They occupied the towns and turned everything into Jewish Ghettos. The story was the same all around Poland. Warsaw, Poland was the backdrop of this film. This is the part of WWII that is one of the many atrocities during the Nazi Germany occupation of Poland around 1944. Ghettos were fenced in and fenced off from all contact with the outside world. That's when Jakob Heym overheard on a German radio program that the Russians were advancing over the border into Poland. Jakob concocted a story that he had his own radio and that he was keeping an ear on the advance of the army. All along Jakob had no radio, however, the small amount of hope that he created along the way, gave those in desperation, hope to continue forward in life. Special mention should go to Justus von Dohnanyi, though, who played the Nazi Commandant "Preuss." Dohnanyi manages to capture exactly the sort of inhumane character one might expect to be put in charge of such a horrendous job to hold and encamp Jewish prisoners against their will. Much thanks to Kathleen Gati for playing the German Frauline in the first scene. Hannah Taylor-Gordon plays Lina Kronstein and Liev Schreiber plays Jakob's good friend Mischa. Alan Arkin's character was so fraught with grief about Jakob's claims that he immediately went in his closet and destroyed the radio he did have, which is somewhat ironic to think that the story just as well could have been modeled after him. The character of Kirschbaum (Armin Mueller-Stahl) was played extremely well and filled me with sadness. Kirschbaum, once a world famous cardiologist. However, because Kirschbaum, was Jewish, he is forbidden to practice medicine, and ends up cleaning toilets. Mueller-Stahl (The 13th Floor) plays the character with a great dignity. Mueller-Stahl is the only person to have acted in the original film of the same name (Jakob, der Lugner directed by Frank Beyer in '75 which came out of E. Germany and is in German and can still be found dubbed into English), although he played a different character named Roman Schtamm. Mueller-Stahl was in his late 30s at the time and later defected to W.Germany soon after. I'd also like to mention Michael Jeter who played Avron in this film. Jeter, known for his role in Welcome to Collinwood and Open Range, passed on in 2003 in LA. Bob Balaban (Close Encounters) played Kowalsky. He has also played in Catch-22 in 1970 with Alan Arkin. This movie represents a wonderful testimony to the importance of hope in helping people see themselves through what must seem to be impossible situations. Although fictional, it is an important movie for those with an interest in the events of this era. Let's not forget those war veterans ever (whatever season) for their courage and sacrifice to keep our world a free and safe place for everyone around the world. I'm going to give this film a 5/5, since it is filled with so much historical significance that we should never, ever forget. IF YOU LIKE MY REVIEWS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW BY VOTING.Read full review
Jakob the liar starring Robert Williams represents an individuals plight surviving a Nazi occupied concentration camp in Poland. He finds himself being sent to the commandants quarters for not observing the time curfew placed by their director, where he overhears an amalgamated broadcast of the Germans retreat not far from their camp. He is overheard telling a suicidal friend what he has heard on the radio which then is mis-interpolated as that he contains the informative device. As the rumors balloon out of control he is placed in an unwanted intransigent position which compels him to fabricate even more fictionalized tales of their forthcoming liberation. This movie is continuous in it's drama and lightly placed comedy as only Mr. Williams can fulfill. My fathom throughout this movie was enjoyable and a pleasure to certain. An agreeable recommendation is there-forth given. Thank you for your attentiveness...Read full review
While a work of fiction set during a dark time in world history I found the film and story engaging and yet a realistic( slightly tongue in cheek ) commentary of human behavior, while I am not exactly a huge fan of Robin Williams body of work I found this film one of his best works.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Recording is fine. Don’t remember if the movie stopped momentarily, but it played fine.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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