This film is part of Free
Mr. Emmanuel
An elderly Jewish man journeys to Nazi Germany to track down a refugee’s mother in this extraordinary drama
Overview
One of the earliest fiction films to depict the oppression and persecution in Nazi Germany, Mr. Emmanuel follows an elderly Jewish man (Felix Aylmer) who leaves England to embark on an ill-advised mission to Nazi Germany to search for the mother of a German child refugee. He immediately arouses the suspicions of the Gestapo and finds himself in terrifying danger. The film was based on the novel Magnolia Street by Jewish author Louis Golding.
Released in 1944, before the extent of Nazi atrocities became widely known abroad, Mr. Emmanuel is a fascinating WWII drama with unusually dark themes. Scenes referencing a child’s attempted suicide and the cruel treatment meted out to the benevolent title character still disturb, while the inclusion of a sympathetic Jewish singer (Greta Gynt), who is having an affair with a Nazi officer, adds further complexity. The grimly ironic ending, too, is startling.
Related
Simcha Simcha
Documentary 2000 12 mins
Extremely rare insight in the role of a Hasidic woman, featuring a mother-daughter team who live in North London.
Some of My Best Friends Some of My Best Friends
Documentary 1969 30 mins Location: Westminster
Jewish people - and a few Gentiles - muse on what it means to be Jewish in 1960s Britain
Chief Rabbi's Emergency Council Chief Rabbi's Emergency Council
1947 19 mins Silent
Poignant postwar appeal for Britain’s Jewry to support orphaned Jewish children rescued from Europe
Jewish Pensioners' Controversial Pools Win Jewish Pensioners' Controversial Pools Win
News 1975 5 mins Location: Southend-on-Sea
All good pals and jolly good company! A syndicate of Jewish pensioners from Southend celebrate their big win on the football pools.
Just One Kid Just One Kid
Factual TV 1974 54 mins Silent
A Jewish Eastender recalls growing up in poverty in the 1930s and being part of a community now long gone
The Barber of Stamford Hill The Barber of Stamford Hill
Drama 1962 61 mins
On the eve of his 50th birthday, lonely north London barber Mr Figg entertains the possibility of marriage
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.