Jacob the Liar

Nominated for Best Foreign Film in 1977, this is the original that spawned the recent, unsuccessful Robin Williams remake. Based on Jurek Becker's novel, the story deals with a Jewish man in a WWII Polish ghetto who accidentally overhears a radio broadcast at Gestapo headquarters: the Russians are coming! After first trying to keep the good news to himself, Jacob (Vlastimil Brodksy) ends up sharing it with his friends, but claims he heard the hopeful report on a radio he has hidden away. This makes Jacob something of a hero, providing comfort for his desperate comrades who face starvation or deportation. After a coyly playful opening ("Not a true story. Honest. Well, maybe it's true..."), the tale unfolds with inevitable tragedy. Unfortunately, the film's original German dialogue has been obviously dubbed in post-production--making for conversation that doesn't sound organic to scenes and lip movements that don't synch up. Factor in overlit sets that look more appropriate for a stage production plus obtrusive violin music, and the whole shebang ends up feeling distractingly unreal. Very optional. (T. Rich)