The Rose Garden (1989)

Set in Germany, an aging Jewish man (Maximilian Schell) who is a former concentration camp prisoner is on trial for his seemingly unprovoked attack on a former German army officer (Kurt Hubner). But as his attorney (Liv Ullmann) digs into their past, she finds a horrific connection. Directed by Fons Rademakers (THE ASSAULT, Oscar winner best foreign language film). There have been countless films about Holocaust survivors and their post traumatic suffering as well as Nazis who have escaped retribution for their heinous acts. This one while fiction is based on Arnold Strippel, a Nazi commandant who was responsible for the death of many Jews including the hanging of 20 children. Although any movie dealing with the horror of the Holocaust is disturbing, unfortunately the film is heavy handed which reduces its emotional value. Luckily, the two central performances of Ullmann and Schell are strong and manage to hold our attention but it's a pity it isn't better. With Peter Fonda and Gila Almagor.