Vermißt (1982)

Vermißt: Directed by Costa-Gavras. With Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, Melanie Mayron, John Shea. When an idealistic American writer disappears during the Chilean coup d’état in September 1973, his wife and father try to find him.

“Very short review.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAesthetically this film is very impressive. The narrative build up is both subtle and intense. The conclusion is a tragic let down – which may make many uncomfortable about the film. But it as about a real historical tragedy, one that challenges some fundamental assumptions of the principles of American democracy. Objectively, this is true story with artistic embellishments for narrative purposes only – it tells no lies. So objectively and aesthetically it is an impressive film.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut it is in the field of morals and politics that this film really shines. This is about Allende, a person who embodied almost a Jeffersonian style of democracy; popular democracy, locally organised. Yes, he was a Marxist, but also a person who had included the national liberation orientation of Boliviar, but also, as mentioned, the Jefferson notion of democracy. Allende _believed_ in democracy. He _believed_ that you could be elected, the State would say, u0026quot;OK, because weu0026#39;re fundamentally a democracy and so are you so weu0026#39;ll let you implement a socialist economyu0026quot;. Of course, he was wrong and it fundamentally challenges oneu0026#39;s belief in the democratic system being a government u0026quot;of the people, for the people and by the peopleu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOh, the book is better. Much better.”