Viennese memories

Rating: 9/10 (11 June 2015)

Some movie goers resent having their heart strings tugged. I suppose it feels manipulative to them.
However, I am not one of them. To me, catharsis is one reason I go to the movies. Weeping, laughing, experiencing wonder, getting thrilled or frightened, and, yes, getting a little turned on are other good reasons to go to the movies. If any of these things occur in the context of a good story, I feel I got many money's worth. I also go for intellectual stimulation and to learn, of course.
Well, this movie had me teary-eyed for most of it. It wasn't so much the acting of Helen Mirren (although that was good, especially when the full emotional force of it came crashing down on Maria). It was also the flashbacks to Maria's happy childhood and the horrors of her persecution and flight. This movie personalized the holocaust, and turned it into an interesting and moving story that still feels true and relevant. This is not a story about the cattle cars and ovens, but about a painting that came to represent a sophisticated woman's memories of Vienna and her family, and what happened to them.
This is a poignant movie about memory and growing old.
In hindsight, I can identify a few issues, especially the black-and-white simplicity of it all. I think more could have been done in the portrayal of magnificent Vienna. However, that didn't ruin the movie for me.
I'm sorry but stories like this cannot be told enough.