Review of The Boys from Brazil (1978) by Christian C — 18 Sep 2013

Outstanding character performances from Olivier, Peck and Mason. Little wonder to me it garnered 3 Oscar nominations, one of which was for Olivier's role as Lieberman, in a compelling thriller with a sci-fi bent to it.

Viewers must keep in mind that in 1978 when the film was released, Josef Mengele's whereabouts were still unknown although it was strongly suspected he was hiding in Paraguay. It wasn't until a decade after the book and 8 years after the film that clues to his false identity and verification of his death in 1979 in Paraguay.

It was definitively proven via DNA testing in 1992. Thus, the film does make some stretches with the thought that a neo-Nazi organization could operate undetected in sizable numbers out in the open with wealth in Paraguay.

It is, after all, a *fictional* story and has never pretended to be documentary or even partially factual. Sit back and enjoy it as a thriller with some of film's finest actors and don't worry about its plausibility or its historical accuracy (or lack thereof).