One Day In September (1999)

A documentary on the events of September 5, 1972 when a group of Palestinian terrorists invaded the Israeli athletes quarters at the 1972 Olympic games at Munich and held them hostage. Directed by Kevin Macdonald, this Oscar winning documentary is compelling and disturbing in its detailed revelations. The lone surviving terrorist (still proud of what he did) then hiding out in Africa provides the terrorist background while relatives of the murdered Israeli athletes and various German authorities provide insight into the tragic and disastrous event. In retrospect, one can only shake one's head in disbelief at the lax security measures and the incompetence of the German authorities in handing the entire affair that might have prevented the tragic outcome. Even more shocking is the evidence that the German government was complicit in arranging the escape of the Palestinian terrorists to Libya! The documentary is fairly "just the facts" straight forward in its execution but the appalling and inappropriate "rock" score demeans the images. The film is narrated by Michael Douglas.