England Made Me

Graham Greene's novel becomes somewhat undernourished wartime melodrama, without the scope, vision or substantial budget to credibly expound on its themes. Michael York plays a young ne'er-do-well who comes to stay with his sister and her wealthy fiancé/benefactor in 1930s Germany, just before the rise of the Nazi party. An incredible period in time for storytelling, yet the human drama here fails to ignite. It's interesting but cold, without much emotion or point. Filmed in Yugoslavia (!), the movie does have a handsome look, though it surely would have benefited from a larger budget or authentic locales in order to truly capture the fervor and frenzy of Hitler-era Germany (as "Cabaret" had accomplished just one year before, curiously also starring Michael York). It's a fake, but not a bad one, a picture that does not strive (thankfully) to recreate Concentration Camp hysteria but instead provide more insight into the interpersonal complexities of this time. York is reunited with his "Lost Horizon" co-star Peter Finch, and both actors are fine if generally unmemorable. ** from ****