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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

Nicknamed the "death wall," the north face of Mt. Eiger in Switzerland's Bernese Alps has claimed over 60 lives during the past 75 years. One of the most disastrous climbing efforts occurred amidst a swirl of Nazi propaganda prior to the 1936 Berlin Olympics and is captured with gut-wrenching horror in North Face.

After two experienced German climbers die in 1935 while trying to climb Mt. Eiger's north face, locals ban anyone else from making the attempt. However, the lure of being the first to do it plus the fame of receiving a gold medal from Hitler inspire others to try anyway.

A pair of celebrated climbers from Bavaria, Toni Kurz (Benno Fürmann) and Andreas Hinterstoisser (Florian Lukas), soon become the focal point of a nation consumed by Nazi propaganda proclaiming that scaling Mt. Eiger's north face will prove Aryan superiority.

For their part, Toni and Andreas could care less about Nazism. Toni is the more conservative of the two and needs convincing by Andreas, who is a risk taker, to make the attempt. Once Toni has made his mind up, they quit the army and make plans.

This is all to the delight of Luise Fellner (Johanna Wokalek), an aspiring photojournalist who grew up with Toni and Andreas, and Henry Arau (Ulrich Tukur), a poorly created, stereotypical newspaper editor who only cares about glory and disaster.

Ultimately, Toni and Andreas have a multitude of struggles in their way including the sheer climb, ever-changing weather conditions, and a pair of Austrian climbers who motivated by nationalism and racial pride.

Directed by Philipp Stölzl, North Face is a beautifully shot film and was recognized in 2009 by the German Film Critics Association for best cinematography. You may not want to climb Mt. Eiger, but you will definitely want to go see it for yourself.

Fürmann gives Toni a quiet strength and steely resolve, while Lukas provides Andreas with a high degree of likability despite his character's reckless nature. And it is in their relationship where the true strength of North Face lays. It also doesn't hurt that it is one of the few films involving suspenseful mountain climbing. Unfortunately, Stölzl's story is plagued with bad pacing and some poorly developed supporting characters that contribute nothing. Thirty minutes could have been left on the editing room floor and North Face would have been an even better film.

On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, North Face receives an B.
    
North Face is unrated and has a running time of 126 minutes.

Now showing through March 25 @
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square
4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for show times.

By Michael D. Smith

Indie Film Editor

Michael D. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri followed by a Master of Arts in history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Inspired by such critics as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, Michael started reviewing films in 1992 for College of the Ozarks's student-run newspaper. After returning to the Kansas City area in 1994, he continued film reviewing by writing for the Cass County Democrat Missourian in Harrisonville.

In 2000 Michael joined Sun Publications in Overland Park, Kansas where he served as its film critic and Arts and Entertainment Editor. During his tenure there, he was also the film critic for the "Fine Arts Radio Hour" and "Celebrity Scoop" radio shows on KXTR. After leaving the Sun in late 2002, he became the A&E writer for the Olathe News in Olathe, Kansas. He also worked as a freelance writer for The Squire in Leawood, Showcase Publishing in Lake Ozark, Missouri and the Kansas City Star.

Michael is currently a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, a professional film critic organization established in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser.