Mother (Mutter) 2002
Distributed by First Run/Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Miklos Gimes
Directed by Miklos Gimes
VHS, color and b&, 95 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Women's Studies, Jewish Studies, History
Date Entered: 04/07/2004
Reviewed by Gerald Notaro, University Librarian, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library, University of South Florida, St. PetersburgAny documentary filmmaker needs to take extra fair and balanced care when turning his/her lens on family, friend, or even oneself. It is the same as when a feature film star directs him/her self a la Jerry Lewis, Woody Allen, or even Streisand. In this particular case, Miklos Gimes has filmed Mother (Mutter), a story of his mother, Alice Gimes. There is no question that her courage and ensuing ordeals fleeing Hungary for Switzerland without her husband, the persecution for first becoming a communist activist and then marrying a counter revolutionary martyr inspired her son Miklos, and others. Told here, the film seems to portray an insider’s tale, rather than a universal one. Much of Mutter's narration is one-on-one, and it is the historical footage and descriptions that are most valuable. Unfortunately, Alice’s story seems removed from the times. An interesting, but not essential, purchase.