The Man in the Glass Booth

A unique and terrific movie. Max Shell is the movie. One of his best acting performances. Complex plot calls for close focus and attention. It took quite some time to understand story due to its 'Cerebral layering' of just what is the goal of Shell's character. One very interesting note to movie is that it was based on a broadway play (which on opening had near riots by audiences due to misunderstanding of plot and closed shortly thereafter)and that was based on the original book, both written by none other then Robert Shaw (Capt Quint of 'Jaws' fame). Story is he was involved with the screenwriting or consulting, but in either case Shaw had his name removed in any connection with the movie. Why? Don't know. Unhappy with movie version?? The biggest trouble with this movie is that it is very, very difficult to find. Never shown on TV(where I originally saw on a PBS channel back in ~1979) or in most Video Catalogs. Find it.It's worth the effort. Best of luck.

Although I have not seen this film for years it sticks in my mind as one of the best, particularly for its type, ie a courtroom dram, with few different scenes, (the other similar movie I liked was Twelve Angry Men.

The acting is superb, particularly Max Schell as the Nazi and the twists keep the viewer alert.

It is the type of movie that should be shown on TV much more often. It does have a message as well.

This is my all-time favorite film. Maximilian Schell's Oscar-nominated performance completely dominates everything else on the screen. His long courtroom speeches are both disturbing and riveting. This is based on a book and play by Robert Shaw, who'll you'll probably remember as an actor from "The Sting", "Jaws" and "A Man for All Seasons". He disowned the movie version because of changes made. It has been too many years since I've seen the film, but I have re-read both book and play this month. I think a significant change to Col. Dorff's heritage was probably his objection. While I see his point, I think he overreacted. The film itself is a bit slow moving and everyone else is overpowered by Mr. Schell's breathtaking performance. But those flaws didn't kick in for me until I had seen the film a dozen or more times. It is a must see for Maximilian Schell's work- one of the greatest performances ever filmed.

A fairly fascinating film, with a thought-provoking, albeit rather contrived, twist at the end, the material is helped a great deal by Maximilian Schell's Oscar nominated performance as the title person. Schell is startlingly good, considering what he has to do, balancing out two different eccentric personalities that are part of his one character. The character he plays is the most intriguing element throughout, but it does have a tendency to dominate, and therefore overshadow the things that film has to say. It also takes a while to get where its going, however the second half is highly intense stuff, and the film is merited by interesting ideas the whole time through.

Nice film with magnificent performances about a successful Jew who is kidnapped by Mosad to respond his crimes .It deals with a wealthy Jewish businessman is suspected of being a Nazi war criminal.

This is a retelling of a novel written by actor Robert Shaw, from whose credits he requested his name be removed, and it was adapted as a play by prestigious playwright Harold Pinter who also carried it to stage at a Broadway theater. It works up a certain weight in its exploration of interesting issues as wrong accusation, guilt, responsability and forgiveness .This one belongs to American Film Theater in which it tries to embalm theatrical interpretations. Being freely based on the life of Otto Adolf Eichmann, the picture depicts the arrest and subsequent trial of the former Nazi by the Israelies accused of being a former Nazi concentration commandant. The film's title is derived from the fact that Eichmann sat in glass booth during his trial. And his character has been also adapted in The trial of Adolf Eichman 1997, Eichmann 2007 by Robert Young with Thomas Kretschmann, Franca Potente, Stephen Fry and Hanna Arendt 2012 by Margarette Van Trotta with Barbara Sukowa, Julia Jentsch, Jane McTeer. Cast and support cast provide terrific acting, but it still emerges as stagily verbose. Starring Maximiliam Schell gives a fabulous performance, he delivers a self-indulgent playing, though overacting, at times. He is welll accompanied by a pretty support cast as Louis Nettleton as a prosecutor, Luther Adler as a Judge, Leonard Cimino as a witness, Henry Brown, Lawrence Pressman, among others.

The motion picture with adequate cinematography by Sam Leavitt, being professionally directed by Arthur Hiller. He was a good professional with long career and life, as he died at 93. Hiller directed all kinds of genres with penchant for dramas and comedies. Including important films with the greatest actors, such as : The Americanization of Emily, The miracle of the white stallions, Promise her anything, Plaza suite, Man of La Mancha, The in-laws, Making Love, Tobruk, Silver streak, Nightwing, Author author, Teachers, Outrageous fortune, The lonely guy, See no evil hear no evil, Taking care of business, The babe, among others .Rating 7/10 .Well worth watching. Better than average