|
|
 |
|
As a member of a prominent Swedish family, 31 year old Raoul did not need to endanger himself by traveling to war-torn Hungary early in July, 1944. He was leading a life of privilege in Sweden, and was safely removed from the ravages of the War in Stockholm. Yet, unlike so many others who silently sat on the sidelines while Hitler perpetrated his "Final Solution," Raoul courageously got involved. For six months in Budapest, using a combination of sheer determination and brazen fearlessness, he succeeded in saving the lives of 100,000 Jews from the gas chambers of Auschwitz. He should have rightfully returned to his native Sweden as a hero, basking in the glow of warm accolades for what he had miraculously accomplished, but fate dealt him a tragic blow. On January 17, 1945, as he traveled on a road outside Budapest, he was taken into custody by the Red Army on suspicions of being a spy, disappearing into the mysterious and highly secretive Soviet Gulag, never to be a free man again.................................................... Richard Chamberlain coveted the role of Raoul Wallenberg, and just as with "Shogun" and "The Thorn Birds," he had to wait 3 long years before he was finally signed to play the young, daring Swede. But it was well worth the wait--Wallenberg proved to be one of the greatest and most critically acclaimed performances of his career. Though he did not win, he was again nominated for both a Golden Globe, and an Emmy for his magnificent portrayal. Fritz Weaver, the fine actor who had worked with Richard in "Dr. Kildare" and "Dream West," and who himself had received an Emmy nomination for his work in "Holocaust" had this to say about Richard's portrayal -- "One of the finest performances of recent years was his performance in "Wallenberg." I was just knocked out by what Richard did, and I told him it was my favorite performance of all of last year."
There are sensational performances from the outstanding supporting cast as well, particularly from Kenneth Colley, who is mesmerizing as the abominable Adolf Eichmann, and Alice Krige, luminous in her role as Wallenberg's love interest. The high production values of this exceptional miniseries resulted in numerous Emmy nominations, and director Lamont Johnson won an Emmy for Outstanding Director in a Limited Series for his distinguished work. Richard Chamberlain himself has categorized his portrayal of Raoul Wallenberg as the one he is the most proud of, and has called the miniseries his all time favorite. For any serious fan of his, this terrific production is a must have for your librar y-- I simply cannot recommend it highly enough. (It is an absolute travesty that this miniseries has never been released on video or DVD, but you can purchase a less than perfect copy from the MovieHunter site on the Internet, or from Pete on the TV Heaven web site, if your DVD player is compatible with his discs.) Believe me, you will be truly amazed by Richard's stunning performance, and will be deeply touched by the true story of a real life hero, Raoul Wallenberg. by Polly Moreno
|
The 1985 miniseries "Wallenberg: A Hero's Story" is based on the amazing true story of Raoul Wallenberg, a young Swedish diplomat who heroically saved the lives of thousands of Jews in Budapest during the final chaotic months of World War II. 
Typically with Richard's movies, I find I need several viewings to really appreciate all of the depth and layers and nuances he brings to a specific role. This is particularly true with his portrayal of Wallenberg, especially after I finished reading several fact-based books about the life of Raoul Wallenberg. The real Wallenberg is portrayed as charming, clever, charismatic, and utterly fearless, and Richard magically brings all these characteristics to life on the screen. Just as with Father Ralph and Alexander McKeag, he seamlessly transforms himself into the character of Wallenberg so completely that we, the audience, are left thinking he really IS Raoul Wallenberg--this is the hallmark of a truly extraordinary actor.