Einstein and the Bomb

This movie is quite interesting and in fact, I learned a lot of new things for me. I found out that Einstein actually played on fiddle, that he has never liked interviews, that such a popular and influential person was hiding in the village in Big Britain, in some small house and etc. The film is really informative and you can learn a lot about his biography and the years when he was hiding from the scary and insane murder Nazi dictator Adolf H#tler. The only minuses of this movie is that it is short and actors are really not very well played. In a person who played Einstein it was not visible to the naked eye that he was wearing a wig and make-up. That's all what I didn't like. Everything else was very informative and interesting. I recommend this movie to watch.

There are definitely much better documentaries out there on either Einstein or the bomb, but combining both is really not practical. Einstein's miracle year was in 1905, way before the A-bomb. He wrote his four papers. The first one gave him the Noble Prize and opened the door to Quantum Mechanics (QM). The forth gave us E=MC^2; at the time he had no idea where this would lead to. The problem with the documentary is that there is no Einstein and the Bomb; there's plenty of Einstein and QM (Photoelectric Effect), Einstein and LASER, Einstein and Gravity, Einstein and Differential Geometry. As for the bombs' development and use, there's Oppenheimer and the Bomb or Politicians, Their Decisions and the Bomb. Other than that, it's a good watch if you're a fan of the guy.

"Einstein and the Bomb" was clearly meant to piggyback on the success of "Oppenheimer". But in terms of journalism and content, it is a failure. Far too much time was spent focusing on Hitler-Germany and Einstein's Jewish background, and far too little time on Einstein's work and personal life. There was also too much focus on his time in England, without a word being spoken about his time in Switzerland, which was far more important. It was in Bern where Einstein wrote his Special Theory of Relativity. There was even a major international event in Bern to mark the 100th anniversary of the Special Theory that drew eminent scientists from all over the world. (I reported on it for Swiss Radio International).

Einstein described his life in the Swiss capital as the happiest and most productive period of his career. His apartment on Kramgasse in Bern's old town near The Bear Pit is a popular museum, visited by people from all over the world. Einstein was also a Swiss citizen. But not one second of the story was devoted to this. There was only a brief pan-shot of Zurich (not Bern) without any label or explanation. Totally out of context. This is bad journalism and inexcusable.

If you are interested in more about Einstein in Bern, you'll find it under that title.

This was average at best. I wouldn't call it a documentary. It was a drama with some documentary film added in to try and give it some clout. Made to try and capitalise off the renewed interest in the subject thanks to Oppenheimer, you can tell Netflix rushed out to create anything it could with predictable results. The bomb isn't even mentioned until about 30mins remaining and nothing new or interesting is depicted. Letters are portrayed in person just to try and dramatise the exchange. If the purpose of this was to inform and/or entertain, it did neither. So as far as I'm concerned it's not worth watching.

Most of us are aware of the theoretical pathways that led to Hitler's rise. This collection of footage offers a tangible, step-by-step journey into that historical period, providing a profound understanding of the events. It's also fascinating to delve into Albert Einstein's thought processes. Beyond his scientific genius, Einstein demonstrated worldly acumen, such as his timely escape from Germany and his advisory role to Oppenheimer, showcasing his ability to blend intellectual prowess with practical wisdom. His foresight and strategic thinking were remarkable, revealing a man who was much more than just a "science nerd."