The Odessa File

I stumbled onto this 1974 movie one evening, just channel surfing. Not sure why, but there were very few commercials throughout.

On some level, this story has some basis in truth. At least, that is, Odessa as an organization actually existed, and really did assist former Nazis to escape capture and trials to justice for their past crimes during the Hitler years.

Peter Miller is a journalist trying to uncover this secretive organization that helps ex-Nazis to set up their lives comfortably, and in hiding from the Nazi hunters. More than that, though. They are essentially trying to outright set up a Fourth Reich, a new Nazi state in Germany.

As he explores farther, the layers of the organization begin to be peeled away, and he sees that, for many of these people, it is like nothing has changed for the Nazis protected under the umbrella of Odessa. No lessons from a brutal war that Germany started, and lost. No sense of shame or guilt from all the suffering that such thinking caused. And no sense of limitations to their plans to get their desired state on it's feet and running again.

Miller himself has to go undercover, and act as one of these men, in order to truly uncover the truth. It is a dangerous mission - far more than he had expected it to be. He finds out that it is far more involved than simply old men reminiscing about the good old days - a German equivalent to a good ole boys network, if you will. There truly is something that this organization is trying to hide, and for good reason, too!

All in all, this movie was a pleasant surprise. I admittedly was about the flip the channel, but something made me stick with it for a little while longer. It is an old film from around the time that I was born, and it is based on a true story.

Before I knew it, I was hooked in, and wanted to see it all the way to the end!

If you get the chance, watch this film! It has intensity, even if it is not your standard, run of the mill, modern action or adventure flick. In fact, I think that is part of it's charm.

It might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it, and recommend it here.