And perhaps he did save some people. But in the notorious Feldenstein case, Janning was instructed by the local Nazi party bosses that he must convict an elderly Jew of having sex with an young Aryan woman in violation of the Nuremberg laws. Feldenstein was entirely innocent, but Janning carried out his orders and Feldenstein was shot. For that single case, he was condemned in the Nuremberg trial of Nazi judges. Once again, a work of popular culture sounds themes that resonate deeply in our lives.
Sunshine is such a film.
Its treatment of the themes of patriotism, acculturation and assimilation is profound. The concentration camp scenes are as graphic and terrible as any you'll ever see. And the story of the sold out judge, while not the main focus of this gripping film, is timeless. 24 of Nova Law Review.