Die Spiegel-Affäre (2014)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2014
	Director: Roland Suso Richter
	Actors: Sebastian Rudolph, Francis Fulton-Smith
	Country: D
	Genre: Polar
	Conditions of visioning: 01.02.2015, DVD, German version
Synopsis: In the late 50's and early 60's, German defense minister Franz-Josef Strauß (Fulton-Smith) and German journalist and founder of 'Der Spiegel' magazine Rudolf Augstein (Rudolph) have regular conflicts. 1962 the Spiegel Affair was a major political scandal in German escalating when Der Spiegel published an article about the sorry state of Germany's armed forces.
Review: The story is really focused on the conflict between Strauss and Augstein. Although many other points could have been discussed as well, German military policy, Strauss's politics, Spiegel's journalism, demonstrations. These other topics are just touched in the movie so that the viewer is aware of them and does not loose the main facts. A bit more of it and more emotion would have done a good Alan Pakula or Costa-Gavras. The acting of Fulton-Smith is quite simple but Rudolph gives more volume to the character of Augstein especially with a voice that can be insidious, honest and firm. This might be just to be politically correct, as Strauss is venerated by old Bavarians.
Rating: 6 /10