Search - Varian's War on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Movie Release: 2001 DVD Release: 06/18/2002 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV - Closed Captioned Audio Tracks: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 2 mins Studio: Showtime Entertainment Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Drama, Docudrama, War Drama

Varian Fry was an American journalist who was convinced, years before America become directly involved in World War II, that Nazi Germany's abusive policies against Jews and other "outsiders" would soon have grim consequences around the world. But Fry had a hard time convincing other Americans of the extent of the Nazi threat in 1938, and he eventually relocated to Germany to cover the rise of the Nazis in hopes of bringing his warning call to the world. Fry's efforts earned him the respect of Europe's intellectual and creative community, and in 1940, Fry aligned himself with a number of American organizations as he began working to smuggle refugees out of Europe and to safety. Along with thousands of ordinary citizens, Fry helped to save Marc Chagall, Heinrich Mann, Max Ernst, Andre Benton, and a number of other important artists and writers from execution at the hands of Hitler's henchmen. Varian's War is a made-for-cable feature based on Fry's extraordinary true story; William Hurt stars as Varian Fry, with Julia Ormond and Matt Craven highlighting the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

William Hurt
Julia Ormond
Matt Craven

Lionel Chetwynd directs William Hurt in the World War II drama Varian's War, which comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. An English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a Spanish soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. There are no subtitles, but the English soundtrack is closed-captioned. Supplemental materials include interviews with the actors, filmographies, a costume design sketchbook, and historical information on the people portrayed in the film. This is a solid release from Showtime that should appeal to genre enthusiasts and history buffs. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide