Albert Schweitzer

Nobel Peace prize-winner Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) was a renowned humanitarian, musician, theologian, and medical doctor. However, according to this 2009 docudrama, the CIA considered him suspect because of his association with Albert Einstein, as well as his outspoken views against the atomic bomb. Directed by Gavin Millar, Albert Schweitzer finds Jeroen Krabbe playing against type as the gentle Schweitzer, while Barbara Hershey costars as his sickly, long suffering, but ever patient wife, Helene. The story opens in 1949—during the early days of the Cold War anti-Communist scare—with Schweitzer working at his hospital in Lambarene, Gabon in Africa. Schweitzer tends to lepers, but he struggles with primitive equipment and a chronic shortage of staff and funds, so he must interrupt his work to go to America to plead for financial support. Once there, he meets with Einstein, and also attracts the attention of a sympathetic photojournalist, along with a man who claims to be an admirer—wanting to raise money for the cause—but who really intends to follow Schweitzer back to Africa in order to do an exposé. While Schweitzer had an overriding "reverence for life," he was no plaster saint, coming across here as sometimes patronizing, autocratic, neglectful of his grown daughter, and inflexible (refusing to kill rats even though they spread disease in the African village). In addition to the drama tied to the CIA, the film chronicles Schweitzer's work to save his hospital, mediate conflicts among co-workers, deal with tribal superstitions, and stave off efforts by government officials to take over his operations. Handsomely filmed, this entertaining and informative biographical portrait is recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)