21 Hours at Munich

With a DVD release timed to reap the benefit of publicity generated by Steven Spielberg's Munich, this 1976 movie—a straightforward account of the horrific slaughter at the 1972 Olympic Games—plays out along regulation thriller lines, with its effectiveness somewhat diminished by viewers' foreknowledge of the outcome. A miscast William Holden stars as Munich Chief of Police Manfred Schreiber, charged with managing an untenable situation when a terrorist organization calling itself “Black September” (with Franco Nero playing the levelheaded but remorseless leader) takes 11 Israeli athletes hostage and demands the release of over 200 political prisoners. Told in a methodical, just-the-facts-ma'am fashion, 21 Hours at Munich doesn't dabble in revisionist history or moral equivalency; instead, director William A. Graham recreates the chaos, taking viewers behind-the-scenes, so to speak, to witness firsthand the confusion, stalling, and bickering that ultimately resulted in tragedy. The fine supporting cast includes Shirley Knight, Richard Basehart, and Anthony Quayle. Presented with a fine widescreen transfer, but no extras, this is a strong optional purchase. (E. Hulse)