Train of Life Review

A Jewish shtetl in Central Europe in 1941 is the setting for Train Of Life ... Understandably fearful of the coming holocaust, Shlomo, Lionel Abelanski, proposes that, instead of waiting to be transported to a concentration camp, the inhabitants of the shtetl organise their own transport -and head east, towards freedom. A rickety train is acquired, some villagers are chosen to act as Germans and uniforms made for them - and the risky journey begins..Imagine Fiddler On The Roof and you have some idea of the mood of Train Of Life, which will also remind many viewers of Life Is Beautiful because they`re both essentially comedies with a holocaust background - I think this is a better film than Benigni`s. It`s full of wonderful characters, and the Rumanian director, Radu Mihaileanu, combines suspense and rich ethnic comedy to tremendously engaging effect. It`s also beautifully photographed by the Greek cameraman Yorgos Arvanitis, who usually works with Angelopoulos. Altogether, a tremendous treat. Margaret`s Comments: Truly unbelievable and schmalzy, breaking into Fiddler on the Roof songs at the most unlikely moments, Train of Life still has a warmth and a humour that is endearing. Once again the cataclysmic events of the Jewish experience in Europe during World War 2 are embedded in farce, in much the way Life is Beautiful did. This despite being set against the efforts of a whole Jewish village to outsmart the Nazis by escaping deportation by a major pretence. The very end of the film is the only nod to the realities of the times. There is a texture here of life in Eastern Europe, poised between two totalitarian regimes. It`s an engaging experience without being a deeply moving or significant one.