The Man Who Captured Eichmann

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.

Most people will not care about the man who captured Adolph Eichmann; what they will care about is the fascinating and clever way the Mossad were able to whisk Eichmann out of Argentina, despite the best efforts of the local Nazi sympathizers to find him and keep him in the country. The role of Eichmann is a tour-de-force by Robert Duvall, an Academy-Award winning actor who richly deserved an Emmy for this television production role. Most of the other roles in the film are played by relatively unknown actors, and the production values are limited. However, the direction and dialogue is very sharp, and the film will keep you attention from beginning to end. Eichmann tried to justify his action to his captors, but I am sure no one was buying his sad story about his father forcing him to join the SS and the Nazi party. Duvall plays the role in a careful, understated manner, which captures the actual real-life personality of Eichmann to a tee. It was interesting to see how this action unfolded several decades after it actually took place when I was in school as a Freshman at Emerson High School in Union City. We saw the trial on TV, but we had no idea at the time what it took to get him to this trial.

Excellent T.V movie that chronicles events leading up to and the capturing (by crack mossad agents) of the elusive Adolf Eichmann. Robert Duval (as Eichmann) is one of the finest actors in cinema history and shows such a range of diversity in the characters he portrays. Is certainly worth watching as a companion to other movies of the same (or similar) subject matter.

Brilliant portrayal of how Eichmann living under a fake identity in Argentina was considered an innocent kidnap victim by local authorities unaware of his true identity yet the Nazi hunters managed to sneak him and themselves out of the country by dressing in airline personnel uniforms when boarding that plane destined for Israel.

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.