With Holocaust Memorial Day in 2020 marking the 75th Anniversary of the most traumatic and tragic event in human history, more films depicting the complexities and issues that faced all sides of the coin as the plight of persecuted Jews in the shadow of Nazi Germany during the Second World War are coming to the fore.
Inevitable comparisons with Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-winning classic SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993), alongside the likes of THE WINDS OF WAR and other character studies from the period, will be felt throughout the brand-new wartime biopic QUEZON’S GAME. However, fans of that film may find as much to take an interest in what is one of the more seldom-told stories of heroism and enterprise in a place that seemingly was faintly connected to the struggles against Hitler.
Straddling six years between 1938 and 1944, QUEZON’S GAME focuses on Filipino President Manuel Quezon and his relationships with the likes of Eisenhower, in this film a General stationed in Manila amidst a time of great change.
Quezon lives in a world of great luxury with a loving wife and the affections of a local singer, Vera, causing some conflict on a personal and political level. However, things get a bit more complicated when the local German Ambassador is visited by the new Security Chief in full SS Uniform, who is offended by the fact that the German Imperial flag is still raised rather than the Swastika, a flag he stresses has been flying since 1935.
The territory is American at present, but which is destined to become an independent Philippines, although the SS officer has other ideas and wants a ‘Reich’ decision in the process.
Quezon has heard of the Jews being interned in alleged ‘Nazi Death Camps’, a major rumour from his advisors and decides to formulate a plan to bring in Jews to his country to save them from the certain destiny of death they are facing from Hitler and co.
So begins the complex conflicts – and a new battle of wits between his administration and those who represent the darker side of human beliefs, not to mention key decisions that could dictate both the future of his own people – and his health….
Director Matthew E Rosen’s debut feature film has already received much award and critical acclaim and distributor ABS-CBN Global is the international arm of the largest and leading Filipino-owned media and entertainment company, a positive step in these more diversity-sensitive times which the whole media industry is beginning to address across all manner of debate.
The film is handsome to look at, well shot and sincere in its’ execution, with some good performances, notably from lead actor Raymond Bagatsing in the title role, with a manner that reminds one of the great Gregory Peck in his youthful prime.
Although it lacks the pioneering experimentalism of SCHINDLER’S LIST, it more than makes up for that in its’ diverse cast and locale, which takes what could have been a clichéd script which would be living in the shadow of Spielberg’s epic vision and gives it a refreshing grandeur in a different perspective, maintaining the consistency of the culture in a tri-lingual mix of English, German and Filipino dialects.
The film has a reasonable amount of complex conflict throughout – and does have something to say about a lot of present day issues that are affecting the world in key war-torn areas – and how much we action we can genuinely take to save refugees from oppression, without being overbearing or stretched to the limit in terms of resources.
There is some appeal here to students of Second World War history, something that is more potent for their growth in knowledge, given the significance of the anniversary.
A fine and balanced effort.
