The Relief of Belsen

In early April 1945 a small British ambulance unit was diverted from frontline battle in northern Germany, to handle an unfolding medical crisis behind enemy lines. A local prison camp had suffered an outbreak of typhus. That prison camp was Bergen-Belsen. The British had no idea of the true scale of this humanitarian catastrophe nor of what it would come to represent.

Sometimes it seems like 10% of all movies made these days concern World War II, and I am so over battle scenes. But this movie dates from 2007 and involves behind the scenes drama, so I gave it a try. As often happens, they mix actual footage and pictures with the fictional scenes involving actors. It more or less works. I wonder if the more horrifying images scared off viewers who are more interested in drama or romance or whatever than in history or ethics. I like Iain Glen anyway and the ensemble cast does a great job supporting the stars and getting us through tough material. It won’t go on my list of films to watch a second t8me, but I don’t regret my first viewing.