The Man Who Captured Eichmann (1996)

Simply Perfect

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

***S{POILERS*** Long suppressed - for security reasons-story about the capture of Nazi war criminal SS man Lt-Col. Adolph Eichmann, Robert Duvall, one of the major ,after his boss Col. Rehinheart "Hangman" Hydrick, architects of the notorious Nazi "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" in Nazi occupied Europe. Having escaped captured for fifteen years Eichmann was finally run down and caught outside his house at 14 Garibaldi Street in the slum section of Buenos Aries Argentina in May 1960. The Israeli Mossad who had been staking out Eichmann's, using the name Ricardo "Ricky" Clement, movements for the past two months grabbed him as he left the bus from his job as a mechanic at a local Mercedes Benz plant. Eichmann was then held hostage in a safe house until the Mossad could fly him out of the country to stand trial for crimes against humanity and the Jewish people in Jerusalem Israel.While in Isaeli captivity Eichmann's what can best be best called Mossad baby sitter Peter Malkin,Arliss Howard, tried to get him to sign a statement- as if he really needed it-for him to volunteer to his capture and agree to be tried in the Jewish state which under the circumstances, in being kidnapped and held against his will by the Mossad, would be thrown out on any court on earth. Still Malkin constantly beggared Eichmann to sign it until he finally agreed when he was told that there's no death penalty in Israel. It took a lot of ingenuity to get Eichmann out of Argentina by using the excuse of an EL-AL airline with a troupe of Israeli politicians and entertainers to sneak him, while high on drugs, aboard. This was done while Eichmann's fellow on the lamb Nazis as well as his sons did everything to prevent the plane from taking off. The final results of all this was that Eichmann was tried and convicted for the crimes that he committed and despite Mossad Agent Peter Malkin assurances not to he eventually was sentenced to death and hanged. P.S Despite Israel having no death penalty as things turned out in Adolph Eichmann's case it made him an exception and no one bothered, except his fellow on the run Nazi war criminals, to make a case out of it.

As the title implies, this isn't a film about Eichmann's trial and execution, it's about Malkin's role in the capture of Eichmann and his imprisonment before his flight to face his accusers. Made for TV movies are usually mediocre affairs, but in all honesty The Man Who Captured Eichmann is head & shoulders above average. This is largely due to the exceptional acting abilities of the two main protagonists, played by Robert Duvall and Arliss Howard. Duvall is superb as Eichmann, the bureaucratic SS pen pusher whose ruthless efficiency sent millions of innocent people to their deaths in the Nazi Europe of the 1940's. His physical likeness is uncanny, and he does a fine job with the German accent and Eichmann's cold, matter-of-fact mannerisms. Howard is equally as impressive as Malkin, the Israeli Secret Service agent whostrikes up conversations with his captive at their hideout in Argentina, following Eichmann's capture. He is very impressive portraying his character's roller-coaster ride of emotions, from bewilderment and frustration to despair, anger and loss. The movie itself is good in that it keeps things simple, from a short intro showing how the Israeli's learned of Eichmann's hideout, to the formation of the team sent to Argentina to kidnap Eichmann and bring him to Israel to stand trial for his horrendous crimes against humanity. It wastes no time in getting to the high point of the piece, the abduction of Eichmann outside his modest home in a Buenos Aires suburb. The remainder of the movie sees Malkin go against his directives and strike up a relationship with his quarry, asking the questions that have haunted him since the war, such as "how did it happen", "why did it happen", and "why you?". The performances are spellbinding. Highly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in the subject matter or anyone who enjoys marveling at performers at the top of their game.

Sorry for my English...For a while, I've been reading all the books available that talks about Eichmann. I wanted to know more about the man after the war and before his trial. I've read the book 'Eichmann in my hands (by Peter Malkin)' and 'Capturer Eichmann (Capture Eichmann)' in french. I was so surprise when I saw the movie. It was exactly (well 95%) the same as the book. When I saw Robert Duvall play Eichmann, my god, he looks like him. A very good actor. The same accent, moves, nervous ways, everything like Eichmann (if you saw the movie 'The specialist' the trial of Eichmann. The man who play Peter Malkin is very good too. Very committed. The way he looks at Eichmann, like he wants to kill him, but he don't, his eyes are expressive. When the actors are together in the bedroom, talking each order, there's no cameras. Well, see that movie, and read the book after or the best is to read the book before and watch the movie after. It's almost the same, very respectful to the book.

Any time you get the opportunity to see Robert Duvall work, you should take it. When the pot is sweetened by the chance to learn a little (or a lot) about an important historical event, then it's a no-brainer.A far more carefully crafted story line distinguishes this film from the 1961 'Operation Eichmann'. The source of this film is the book, "Eichmann in my Hands", by Massad agent Peter Malkin, the primary Israeli Agent involved in Eichmann's capture in Buenos Aires.The film is presented pretty much from the point-of-view of Malkin, played superbly by Arliss Howard, an actor who's career to date is papered with non-distinguishable work in non-descript films. His portrayal here is right on target. There is a nice turn as well by Jeffrey Tambor, a wonderful comedic actor, here cast completely against type in a serious role.Much is the time when TV has been dismissed as a learning medium. Thankfully, made for TV movies like 'The Man Who Captured Eichmann" go far to dismiss that notion.