The movie Charlotte is an amazing animated movie that agonizingly tells the tragic story of a visionary artist. Charlotte Salomon’s “Life? or Theater?” contains almost one thousand paintings which describe her memories on difficult childhood. It is the largest artwork made by Jews during the Holocaust. Born into a wealthy family in Germany, Charlotte Salomon’s artistic talent depicted Nazi rise to power and later revealed some dark family lineage secrets. The film wonderfully uses her paintings as a scene transition in between scenes. In all, its narrative lapses occasionally with time focused historicity, but captivates with its deep emotional connection to its subject.
First we encounter Keira Knightley portraying Charlotte Salomon in 1943 Côte d’Azur, France. She leaves treasured portraits to Dr. Moridius (Henry Czerny) who happened to be kind-hearted towards her. The film changes location back to Berlin in 1933. Younger Charlotte recalls death of mother when she was still a child.Whoever says that Lotte is fond of art would be correct.Unlike what Paula says about life being hard for an artist, this girl does not pay attention.Charlotte went through her parents’ opposition which results into joining Fine Arts Academy.A Jew making such an accomplishment in racist Germany has no other option but to run away for safety despite wanting something else.
A few weeks later while on vacation with Grossmama (Brenda Blethyn) and Grosspapa (Jim Broadbent) in Italy, Charlotte meets Ottile Moore (Sophie Okonedo). This American lady finds herself awestruck by both Charlotte’s abilities and her strong-willed character.At this point, Nazi ideology had already overtaken Berlin where she returned.The primary target of the German government became Jews.On Kristallnacht – Night of Broken Glass that occurs in 1938 – terrified Paula together with Albert watch helplessly while Albert is picked up by the police.Faced with such a challenge, her father takes a radical step.For Charles, this meant going to France where Ottile Moore was saving Jewish kids and refugees. Her abode becomes paradise from hell. But the French Riviera does not spell freedom.Her family’s secret sorrows and wicked Nazis haunt her.
The straightforward animation of Charlotte’s story is broken only by Charlotte’s amazing artwork. This contrast in visuals matters. Charlotte’s life to adulthood is very sad.However, she has some joyful moments as well.An expressionist, love-seeking friend. She is surrounded by a monstrous prejudice that develops into fatal violence.Charlotte’s instructors acknowledge her extraordinary talent but still refer to her as ‘Jew’.These pictures are used as live vignettes of her encounters.These two filmmakers use them skillfully at pivotal points for inflection.Charlotte comes of age in an environment that hates it.These are big scenes within the film.
Charlotte meanders along its bullet-pointed structure. Then at this particular moment Charlotte would have been there doing these specific things with those people.Tahir Rana and Éric Warin should have relaxed in how they brought out their plot.There must be major occurrences in a biopic; however, Charlotte is rather too explicit about laying out its events.By so doing, the latter better parts’ artistic side has been dulled somewhat through Wikipedia-like execution.
Recently, Charlotte has revealed shocking truths that had been buried for many years. I would like to congratulate the producers for not concealing them. The girl’s tribulations and how she dealt with them, both positively and negatively are fundamental to learning about a complicated young woman in a cruel era. The ending part of the movie is very sad.
The character of Charlotte in the French version is voiced by Marion Cotillard. Additionally, this was also the last movie Helen McCrory, a talented British actress ever starred in. The companies involved in the production include January Films; Balthazar Productions; Walking The Dog; and Téléfilm Canada.
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