
MPAA rating: None (made for HBO)
Run time: 1:36
"Conspiracy" chronicles the amazing story of the Wannsee Conference in which 15 members of the German government discussed and launched the "final solution" for the "Jewish problem". The meeting itself lasted just over an hour and the movie takes place mostly in real time. It is surprising to see how a movie that is entirely comprised of men sitting around a table can be so riveting. Kenneth Branagh is impressive as Reinhard Heydrich, the ring leader of the meetings and the man in charge of persuading this group of men to come to the same conclusions he came to. It begins rather stale as the men begin to discuss their problem as mostly an economic matter: More Jews are being captured and detained than they can really afford to take care of. Once that fact is accepted, you watch Heydrich lead the men systematically to the idea of gas chambers and eliminating the Jews entirely. It is horrifying yet fascinating to see these men be so cavalier toward the annihilation of a group of people. There was certainly some resistance to the idea, but Heydrich and his SS cronies squash any questions on the subject swiftly and with no doubt as to what will happen to those that are not part of the solution. The cast of mostly character actors is solid and manage to put together the most impressive "guys in a room" movie since "12 Angry Men" (which started as a play, which this movie feels a lot like). I know this is an old one, but if you haven't seen it, check out the DVD. Great stuff.
Grade: A
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