A Near Whitewash
Speer oversaw a program that worked to death millions of slave laborers yet somehow avoided the death penalty, but it's not clear why. He then went on to sell millions of copies of his wartime memoir, becoming wealthy in the process. To top it off, he almost convinced Hollywood to make a major motion picture out of his memoir.
Vanessa Lapa's "Speer Goes to Hollywood" is another outstanding example of a not particularly great documentary being absolutely riveting because it's a peek into the mind of one of the major players of the Third Reich. I know of nothing similar that exists on film.
Lapa's documentary utilizes archival footage and audio recordings to show how Speer attempted to whitewash his life. Watching it sent me careening back and forth between amazement and revulsion.
What we watch and listen to here are conversations between Speer and screenwriter Andrew Birkin as they attempt to construct a script loosely based on Speer's memoir. In retrospect it's pretty difficult to believe that Paramount Pictures and Birken, who worked with the great Stanley Kubrick, were involved in this project, but the chance to cash in inspires lots of questionable projects.
Early in the film it becomes clear that Speer is looking for this to be more fiction than factual so as to present himself as a victim of Hitler rather than one of his primary henchmen. It's bizarre and uncomfortable watching Speer trying to steer the story, and there isn't that much pushback from Birken. At the end, we find out that Paramount backed out of the deal, thankfully.
"Speer Goes to Hollywood" is certainly unique and uncomfortably chilling and despite its many shortcomings is absolutely worth seeing, especially if you want a peek into the mind of a major player of one of history's darkest times.
Speer Goes to Hollywood Movie Review By David Kempler
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