Adapted from a play, The Man in the Glass Booth (1975) is yet another film from that year nominated to an acting Oscar, mainly through a retelling of stage material. While it has a bit more cinematic flair than Hedda, it still relies heavily on long dialogues and monologues, leading to performances that feel overly dramatic, fitting the ‘Oscar clip’ style.
The film follows Arthur Goldman, a wealthy industrialist and Holocaust survivor living in a luxurious Manhattan high-rise. Despite his affluence, he shows a shocking irreverence toward his past, often engaging in outrageous banter with his assistant, Charlie. However, his life takes a dramatic turn when Israeli Mossad agents abduct him and transport him to Israel to stand trial for alleged war crimes committed during the Nazi regime. This trial compels both Goldman and his accusers to confront not only his potential guilt but also their own moral complicity in historical atrocities.
In the first half, the film resembles a Don Quixote tale, with Charlie playing a Sancho Panza-like role. Unfortunately, this section drags due to tedious dialogue and some off-putting jokes. Fortunately, the film gains momentum in the second half as it shifts to the trial, allowing for powerful moments where Holocaust survivors recount their harrowing experiences.
Maximilian Schell’s portrayal of Arthur Goldman is undeniably vibrant and aligns with the character’s troubled psyche. While it’s hard to fault the actor for embodying an obnoxiously loud and outrageous persona, it doesn’t make his performance any more pleasing to watch. Despite being a tragic figure, he would have benefitted from more moments of silence, akin to the judge hitting ‘mute’ of the glass booth, to let the emotional weight truly resonate. Additionally, the distracting makeup fails to convincingly age the 40-year-old actor into a 70-year-old man, particularly the fake bald cap.
Ultimately, while The Man in the Glass Booth features poignant themes and moving testimonies, its execution often falls short, caught between theatricality and cinematic storytelling.
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- 45The Man in the Glass Booth#45 of 51
- Where to watch
Kino Film Collection- Where to watch
- Not available for streaming
Play trailer
- Original title
- The Man in the Glass Booth
- Director
- Arthur Hiller
- Cast
- Maximilian Schell, Lois Nettleton, Lawrence Pressman, Luther Adler, Lloyd Bochner, Robert H. Harris, Henry Brown, Norbert Schiller
- Rated
- PG
- Screenwriter
- Edward Anhalt
- Cinematography
- Sam Leavitt
- Editor
- David Bretherton
- Country
- Language
- English