User Reviews

"John Rabe" is a very glossy and well done film about the actions of Rabe and a few other foreigners in saving as many of the residents of Nanking as they could during the Japanese invasion. The airplane attacks and look of the film were absolutely great--and the film is well worth seeing.

I am very familiar with the story of John Rabe and used to teach my world history students about him and the Japanese destruction of Nanking (I have since retired). Much of what I'd learned were from the book "The Rape of Nanking" as well as several well made documentaries. So, I am NOT the typical person watching the story for the first time--I am a bit tougher to please. Because of this, I am much more critical that average and to me, the story was flawed because it actually seemed very sanitized. In other words, while the film DID show some of the Japanese atrocities, it didn't do much--probably because it would nauseate most viewers. BUT, by doing so, it minimized the evil that was perpetrated here--making the Japanese troops seem almost normal. It's rare, but I would have included much more blood and talked much more about the rapes and murder of children. Evil must not be minimized and here it just didn't seem as sadistic and wrong as the Rape of Nanking was.

I have just watched the movie 'John Rabe' three days ago at the Berlin International Film Festival. Fortunately the director was present and kind enough to answer some questions after the screening. Thank you for that.

The movie itself is about the extraordinary achievements of the then director of Siemens Naking, John Rabe, who saved several thousand Chinese people during the Japanese assault on, and capture of the city in 1937/38.

There certainly are several similarities to the case of Oscar Schindler, whose story is well documented and was made into a movie by Steven Spielberg, but those similarities are due to the story, and not because of any semblances of the two movies...

Nevertheless, the most innovative and interesting aspect of the movie 'John Rabe' is the story, which is about this extraordinary person. The movie itself, and that's really unfortunate, is partially too declamatory and rather kitschy in some parts. Some scenes actually reminded me of sad experiences such as the movie 'Pearl Harbor'. This critique may sound a little harsh, because on the whole the movie isn't too bad, but I still think it should be mentioned.

Now, if you are able to take some kitschy love scenes and some heroic moments, you might actually enjoy this movie and be able to discover a very interesting and less known story about the Second World War...

John Rabe is a person that actually existed and this is a (bit of a) fictionalized version of what he and the people he were trusted on, had to go through. Now this is the German version of that story. There is another side to that coin. And that other side is called "City of Life and Death" and is made from the Chinese perspective. So I guess the truth is somewhere in-between.

But this fairly good made and has a strong character (actor) in the midst of it all. The story is really touching and involves a lot of bad things happening. But as written above, you will have sides that you will choose, whom you like and whom you don't. What it does have over the Chinese "version", is a main character you can hold onto.

I'd suggest you watch both movies in a double feature to get the whole package.

'To the Führer of the German people. Chancellor Adolf Hitler. My Führer. As a loyal party member and upstanding German. I turn to you in a time of great need. The Japanese Imperial troops conquered the city of Nanking on December 12, 1937. Since then I have witnessed atrocious crimes against civilians. Please help to end this catastrophe and make an appeal to our Japanese allies in the name of humanity. With a German salute, John Rabe ' This is an actual letter, unheeded, that along with the diaries of John Rabe provide the story for this deeply moving film about the Japanese destruction of Nanking as gathered in the book "John Rabe: Der Gute Deutsche von Nanking" edited by Erwin Wickert and adapted for the screen and directed by the immensely gifted Florian Gallenberger. Having just seen Chuan Lu's 'City of Life and Death', a brilliant black and white Chinese epic film about this same period of history, it is doubly troubling to view this shameful piece of history. JOHN RABE is after all a biography of the man the Chinese still regard as a saint for providing shelter of thousands of victims of the rape of Nanking and as such we learn much more about the German machinations in the event than in Chuan's film. Burt there is a similarity of distinction: in both films the writer/director shows that both sides of the atrocity had heroes and champions.

The film shares the writing of the diary kept by John Rabe during this time frame and follows his diary as the story line. Rabe (Ulrich Tukur in a brilliant performance) was living with his wife Dora (Dagmar Manzell) in Nanking for 27 years as the head of the Siemens Factory, a German resource for construction in China. They were loyal to Germany, were members of the Nazi party, but lived the good life in the city: Rabe was a compassionate but focused director of the Chinese employees. He is to be retired by the Germans and replaced by a rigid, seemingly evil Werner Fliess (Mathias Herrmann). On the night of his tender farewell party the Japanese attack and it soon becomes apparent that Prince Asaka Yasuhiko (Teruyuki Kagawa) plans to decimate the city. There are others from other nations who are working Nanking - in the university, Valérie Dupres (Anne Consigny), in the hospital, Dr. Robert Wilson (Steve Buscemi), and in the German Embassy, the Jewish lawyer Dr. Georg Rosen (Daniel Brühl) - as well as Chinese aligned with Rabe, Langshu (Jingchu Zhang). When it becomes obvious that the Japanese will slaughter all the populace of the city, John Rabe gathers as many Chinese as he can into a Safety Zone where no soldiers or weapons are allowed, only the support with food and medical attention and beneficence Rabe is able to gather. The atrocities and bombings continue until the very existence of the Safety Zone is vulnerable. Rabe's gathering of the forces around him to protect as many citizens as he can, despite his own gradual physical failure due to his diabetes and lack of insulin, gains him the respect and admiration and love of the people of Nanking.

The film spares no images of the mass executions, the beheadings, and the sexual abuse and torture of the people of Nanking by the Japanese. Much of the film is difficult to watch. But even more tragic is the discovery of the information after the film is complete that John Rabe (as well as Dr. Georg Rosen) returned to Germany as undesirables in 1938 and died in poverty and abandonment by the Germans. The cast is exemplary: many fine cameo roles played by fine actors make this film as touching than the main story. This is a very fine cinematic achievement and deserves a global audience.

Grady Harp

I have studied the man John Rabe through his diaries and other accounts of him from some of the main players such as Minnie Vautrin, Dr. Robert Wilson, Lewis Smythe, etc., and was expecting to see more of his actual work on the Peace Zone and Red Cross committees and perhaps a little less of the personal life--it's nice we got to see some of his relationship with his wife, but I think the movie would have benefited more from detail as to WHY he is so revered in China--he was so intelligent, kind-hearted, and seemed to truly love the Chinese people, and some of this is shown, as well as a little of his naiveté, but it needed MORE. For a character like Rabe you cannot just call him a benevolent Buddha and expect all the viewers to just know the details. I actually enjoyed Buscemi as Dr. Wilson, though I doubt Rabe would've sat still for the Hitler song, even while drinking! Wilson wore himself out, almost to death, in the hospital--where he would've found a moment for such a scene is a question. The one BIG issue that is appallingly inaccurate, to the point of being offensive, is the fictive character of Ms. Dupre. As one who has studied this period and read biographies on the main players, I kept wondering WHERE was Minnie Vautrin, the principal of Jinling Women's College, and WHO was this French woman?? How in the world did the creators of this movie go to such lengths to dramatize Rabe's life in Nanjing, yet make up this silly female character to replace an actual, real, wonderful and strong character like Vautrin? It just made NO sense to me at all. The Chinese called Rabe "The Living Buddha" for the immense efforts he made to save them (and as I said, more of this needed to be shown), and Minnie Vautrin, an American educator who loved China, was called the Goddess of Mercy-- there was no romance between them, but only an immense respect and need to help the Chinese. A romance seems to be implied between Rabe and this Miss Dupre character, which is a ridiculous development, especially leaving out the REAL Vautrin and her work. Also, some of the plots seemed superfluous, such as the development with Rabe's wife, and the emotional level was more shallow than I expected for a film about such a man as Rabe. Not a bad film, but just lacking in so many ways. I almost shut it off half way through, out of sheer frustration with the lack of fact and the made-up characters, but stuck it out. There were glaring errors and a disconnectedness to the story that were too distracting for me personally, however, I do recommend it in the end, if only to those who want to know more about such a great man as John Rabe--though, even for a movie hound like m'self, I think READING about him is better than anything this movie offers.

An important movie that must be watched. John Rabe was a hero to the Chinese people. He saved 200,000 men, women, and children from certain hardship, probable torture, and likely death. Yet after the war, he was condemned by his country, and lived a life of poverty, slipping into obscurity until his death. There has been too little written about this man. "The Rape of Nanjing" by Iris Chang does cover him in good detail in parts of the book. It's certainly about time for a piece to have been done about his efforts in Nanjing, about his life.

The movie is masterfully paced, poignant, and at times devastatingly sad - only able to hint at the atrocities the people of Nanjing must have faced. Yet the movie is ultimately a tribute to the power of few to change the lives of many, to the ultimate goodness of humans.

It is well made for a historical/biographical film, but there were a number of critical flaws : overdramatization (the least of its problems as movies need drama anyway) , inclusion of unnecessary scenes of romance, historical or more precisely technical flaws (the existence of such a small hand-held camera was not convincing), Steve Buscemi's overly-americanized character (i don't know if 'balls' or 'f***' were common during those era, but he talked like a modern American), accuracy of the portrayal of the then Japanese soldiers, etc.

However i am glad the actors delivered spectacular performances to cover up those said flaws and made the most out of the limited character development, which was another aspect i would give salute for this film as it manages to focus on the big picture of the rescue efforts.

... essentially all has been said, but some reviews criticize the diversions from the original story. These would seem to have something to do with Chinese censorship following concerns about economic cooperation with Japan. That may explain the sometimes disjointed story structure, and the inclusion of a 'good' Japanese officer warning the Germans about imminent danger to the safety zone, while there is still ample display of Japanese brutality - even though, if you ever visited the memorial in Nanjing itself, you'll find these rather tame in comparison to the photos there.

At the time of its release in Germany, reviews were largely negative because Rabe's Nazi Party membership was downplayed in the film. His naivety in regard to Hitler is portrayed (writing him letters urging Hitler to intervene on behalf of the safety zone), but this was seen as way too ambivalent. Gallenberger was criticized for making a 'big' film with Hollywood clichés. And instead of a competition slot at the Berlinale, the film was screened as a 'Special' because the festival apparently shied away from controversy. Having only seen it now for these reasons, I must say that these complaints are exaggerated. There's nothing wrong with a German director trying to make a real cinematic feature instead of an overblown TV production, as it is usually the case. And Gallenberger was certainly the right man for the job, given his previous endeavor of a German Bollywood film. Sadly, the entirely justified vilification of the Nazi regime still clouds the perception of individuals living in that era, and there's some sort of German instinct to snap at everything that could be even remotely interpreted as euphemism - which isn't the case here.

What I really liked about the film was that it clarifies that the safety zone was an international 'joint venture' so to speak, instead of being due to the efforts of Rabe alone. Buscemi played all the right keys with his character, and still restrained his presence to allow Ulrich Tukur to take central stage. And his performance is definitely worth the BlueRay. He is one of the very few German actors with aura; Daniel Brühl, in my opinion, isn't, but he's pretty good here, as his scenes with Tukur are balanced very well.

If you found John Rabe's story amazing, you might be interested in the even more controversial Johannes Lepsius, who was the principal witness of the Armenian Genocide during World War I - under similar circumstances, as Germany and Turkey were allies, as with the Japanese at the time of the Nanjing Massacre. I couldn't help but think of that while watching 'John Rabe' - that a film based on Lepsius would be far more controversial than this one, since Turkey denies the Armenian genocide to this day even more vehemently than Japan denies Nanjing.

I give 'John Rabe' 8/10 because I feel this film has been treated a little harshly, but 7.5 sounds just about right.

In China-occupied , pre-World War II, industrialist John Rabe gradually becomes concerned for his protected Chinese people after witnessing their persecution by the Japanese military . History needs extraordinary heroes, and John Rabe was an essential man in the events happened pre-WWII , China . Gripping and thought-provoking movie that happens when China is invaded by Japan on the onset of war and finds Japanese army surrounding and butchering people at city of Nanjing (1937) . After 28 years building and managing a vast Siemens plant in Nanking, John Rabe (Ulrich Tukur) is assigned by the new Nazi regime led by Hitler to close it down. Before he can pack, the Japanese army , commanded unofficially by a bloodthirsty imperial uncle , lays siege to the city. Rabe accepts, as prominent representative of Japans' major European ally, to head the Western foreign society's plan to begin and run an international zone, like worked in Shangai. Rabe nevertheless wants to save his workers and their close ones, over 200,000 . In this hard mission Rabe is helped by Valérie Dupres (Anne Consigny) , Dr. Georg Rosen (Daniel Brühl) and Dr. Robert Wilson (Steve Buscemi). However, at the city occurs violations , mutilations and a large number of massacres take place , carried out by the sadistic Japanese . It describes the terrifying Japanese invasion in which the military will stop at nothing to wipe out the Nanjing population and at whatever cost with all kinds of execution means . Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.

John Rabe (2009) chronicles the trials and triumph of one man who made a difference and the tribulations of those who survived one of the darkest chapters in human history because of his actions. A true-story account of a German businessman , John Rabe nicknamed the German Schlinder , who saved thousands of Japanese people , sacrificing all his personal interests . And including violent and shocking scenes in which prisoners and other unfortunate people are interred in camp prisons , but then they are led to fire squad , scaffold, alive burying , or beheaded , but some of them were saved by John Rabe, about more than 200,000 Chinese during the Nanjing massacre in 1937-38 . Director Florian Gallenberger deglamorizes war showing true horror and ominous , bloody deeds , depicting the hard efforts carried out by John Rabe to save unfortunate people . It's a staggering evocation of the Chinese holocaust in Nanjing , as the atrocities are depicted as a disturbing matter and as an astonishing factor by-product of sheer Japanese evil . There are graphic depiction of the horrible massacres and adding stock footage . Packing some really disagreeable and shocking images , no apt for squeamish . Main and support cast are pretty good . Interpretations are uniformly awesome such as : Ulrich Tukur as John Rabe, Daniel Brühl as Dr. Georg Rosen , Steve Buscemi as Dr. Robert Wilson and Anne Consigny as Valérie Dupres , among others.

The picture is set in 1937 Nanking and based on true events. After Nanking was occupied by the Japanese Army, massive burning , rape, killing and plundering continued for six weeks. Males, females and young, none were spared. The atrocities were even worst thah shown in this film. This was not a War. It was an intentional, planned and organized massacre. During the Nanking massacre... 43.123 bodies collected by the Buddhist Society, 22.683 collected by the Red Cross, 112.267 collected by Chun Shan Society, 7.000 collected by Tung Shan Society, 28.000 collected by Shen Chang and others, 7.000 bodies collected by Ruy Fang and others, 3000 bodies collected by Kao Guan and others, 90.000 bodies handled by the Japanese. According to the verdict of the war crimes tribunal in 1947 the Japanese Army was judged to have raped over 20000 women and killed 300.000 Chinese during the Nanking Massacre. One-third of the city was destroyed. Property was plundered at unestimated losses. No family was spared. Main responsible officers were judged. Matsui Iwane was sentenced by the Far East International War Crimes on Nov 12, 1947 and subsequently hanged. Tani Hisao sentenced by The Chinese War Tribunal in 1947 and executed. Mukai Tosjiaki, Noda Iwa, Tanaka Gunkichi sentenced by the Chinese War Tribunal and executed in 1948 . Nakajima Kyogo died of natural causes in 1945.

Many people knew about the Holocaust happened in Europe, but so few people knew about the massacre happened in Nanjing - capital city of Republic of China.

This is an excellent movie, too bad, it wasn't shown at many movie theaters in the USA. This could help people to know what the Japanese did to defenseless Chinese people during world war ii. The scenes are shocking and graphic, but that is what the Japanese soldiers did.

Even today, some Japanese still refuse to believe the appalling atrocities. This is an excellent movie for the event. Even though John Rabe was a Nazi member, but what he did he in Nanjing was heroic. He could be given the Nobel peace prize for saving over 20,000 innocent Chinese people.

This film is truly an international collaboration from actors all over the world just like those people who saved so many people in 1937. I highly recommend it.

I recently saw the Chinese film called City of Life and Death....Nanking 1938. I cried...I don't cry over films very often, but this re-creation of mans inhumanity to man got to me. Rabe did what he could for the people and we honour him for his efforts, but a film shouldn't be about just what one man did. His staff, the people that trusted him, the Japanese atrocities and the few Japanese soldiers who were against what happened, are as much about what happened as Rabe himself. It left me cold to think that the world let it all happen with a blink of an eye, but even today, we allow ourselves to be shocked? over events like Rawanda or the Congo or Iraq with the Kerds. We don't have much feeling for what has happened, really. It is so far away, it looks atrocious, but it doesn't affect us, so why should we be concerned by what has happened. It's only when it is on our doorstep that we know what it's like. I give the Chinese film, which honours Rabe a score of 10!!! They were there!!!!

Prior to watching this file, I have read John Rabe's diary as well as Iris Chang's The Rape of Nanking. I have also watched many documentaries and movies made about the subject from China as well as from the US. I found this film to be one of better film on this subject than most of the other ones in existence today.

The film is based primarily on the actual diary of John Rabe. Certain details were filled-in by the excellent and exhaustive work of Iris Chang's The Rape of Nanking. The importance of John Rabe's diary as opposed to the other accounts of what happened during the massacred is the fact that John Rabe was a German Nazi Party member that was working for Siemen in China. Germany was an allied of Japan at the time and there would have been no reason for John Rabe to have lied about atrocities committed by the Japanese if it did not actually happened. Also since John was mainly writing this as a personal diary for himself, there does not seem to be any reason for him to have exaggerated his description of the event. As a result, his diary is probably the credible historical account of the what actually happened in Nanking.

I found some the Chinese version of the film on the subject seemed a little removed from the complex character interactions between most of these reluctant heroes of war. As a result, those movies does not seem quite as genuine and touching as this film.

Most the events from this film seems very accurate or at least true to the overall sense of John Rabe's diary. Obviously some of the atrocities had to be consolidated to be able to fit those events into a slightly over two hour film. But one of the most puzzling inaccuracy of the film was the fictional character Valérie Dupres at the International Girls College. Why was it necessary for the film to use a fictional character's name instead of the actual courageous heroine Minnie Vaultrin from the Ginling Girls College. She had done so much during the massacred that it seems unfair to not use her real name in the film. This is my primary reason for not giving this film a perfect 10. If anyone can provide an explanation as to why Minnie Vaultrin name was not used in this film, I really would appreciate it.

It's 1937. John Rabe (Ulrich Tukur) runs the Siemens plant in Nanking, China. He dismisses news of Japanese massacres. He is ordered back to Berlin when the Japanese attack. He saved the Chinese workers from the bombings under the Nazi flag. He ignores orders to close the plant. He is selected to organize a safe zone within the city with the help of the other westerners. Dr. Rosen (Daniel Brühl) with a Jewish ancestor is an assistant under German Ambassador Trautmann. Valérie Dupres runs a school for girls. Robert Wilson (Steve Buscemi) is an American doctor. Rabe decides to stay sending his wife on a ship. The ship is sunk and his wife is presumably lost.

This is a compelling story of a Nazi saving war victims due to his humanity. The obvious comparison is Schindler's List. It is a straight forward telling. The difference is the emotional arc. Rabe is not quite as emotional and his Germanness keeps the story from elevating higher. It does put the lesser known history on the big screen. The history is compelling with some good tension and needs to be told.

This is the second film about the Nanking (Nanjing) massacre of 1937, to come out recently. Both feature a man whose bravery saved many thousands of lives and who was largely unknown to the wider world until very recently. John Rabe was a member of the Nazi party and had worked in Nanking as the senior executive for Siemens for many years. In the eponymous film it's suggested that he is about to return to Germany, but his departure is prevented by the sudden attack with over-powering military force, by the Japanese.

Rabe stays, and heads a committee that sets up a safety zone around the Siemens works and the main embassies. When the Japanese take Nanking, and embark on wholesale rape and slaughter, this zone keeps more than 200,000 Chinese in greater safety that elsewhere in the city.

The story is seen through Rabe's eyes mainly and focuses more on Westerners than the Japanese, although the dire impact of a member of the Imperial Family on the decisions made by the Japanese to execute unarmed soldiers, is highlighted .

Some beheadings are shown but the wide scale practice of rape and enforced prostitution is skirted around. Nevertheless, the atmosphere of menace, instant arbitrary death and fanaticism is established effectively.

The film grips and, in its own way, inspires. It is interesting to see this film and the more symbolic approach taken by Chuan Lu in 'City of Life and Death'. Both cover the same time period. Both are films that leave you pondering on human nature, its heights and its gross distortions.

This is just as much an interesting love story as it is a war drama. The film is intense and emotional, on both a romantic and dramatic level. The film also very effectively depicts the (unnecessary) cruelties of war.

Ulrich Tukur is excellent as John Rabe. John Rabe is both a leader and a follower, and a very humble and caring being. Although he gets credit for saving the Chinese, the idea of creating a safe zone actually came from his friend, Valerie Dupres (played by Anne Consigny), so she should receive equal credit. She also saved a bunch of soldiers, whom she hid within the safe zone without the knowledge of John Rabe.

If you are looking for a war film, keep in mind this is not a war film, but merely a drama set during the war. It is a very well made film, though, with some good visuals and good action scenes.

This very well made and clearly told movie has a big budget feel and is very illuminating and strange as only a true story can be with a Nazi being the good guy. The hero is a contradiction in terms - a loyal Nazi party member who saved many Chinese 200,000 during the Nanjing Massacre in 1937. Another Schindler but less well known. The story is very well written with a German director. Easier to appreciate for an international audience than some of the Chinese made productions on the subject. Some atrocities are depicted and it is graphic but not excessively. The language is a mixture of English, and with subtitles in English for the dialog that is in German and Chinese and Japanese.

The acting is very good - the title character is convincing because he isn't some major movie star that you would think of as just acting. Supporting cast are top notch including Steve Buscemi portrays an American doctor working in a hospital and Daniel Bruhl plays a German who helps organize the Safe Zone.

Very telling is the portrayal of the leader of the Japanese forces who was a member of the Japanese Royal family and who escaped punishment after the War. This movie is better than Flowers of War with Christian Bale. It has a broader scope and more realistic portrayal of events.

A must watch.

Before watching this movie, I went to Rabe's house in Nanjing and I read his diary. I was surprised that the movie does not match with the diary. Important parts are missing, and there are even contradictions at some points. For example: according to the diary, Rabe's wife Dora is outside Nanjing before the Japanese invasion starts. In the movie, Dora is still in Nanjing. And when it comes to the date that Rabe leaves Nanjing, there's also a couple of months difference between the diary and the movie. It seems as if the movie producers wanted to 'dramatize' the original story. I don't understand why. Rabe's diary is dramatic enough. My advice is to skip the movie, and read the diary instead.

Some people think this movie is not as good as Schindler's List, but I don't think so. I really appreciate those who can hold their own principle and kindness during the war time, the worst time. Undoubtedly John Rabe is one of them. John Rabe ist der Deutsch Mann der ich best mag.