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Rating: Jean Jacques Annaud, for those who may not know, is a French film director. Although he is the author of quite famous and often awarded films, he is unfortunately not well-known to the general public. I'm very young, not from the glorious days of cinema, and therefore my experience in this field is limited, but I can assure you, that with this film, class of '97, I fell hopelessly in love from the first time I saw it.
In this feature film, we find famous names in the world of cinema, just think of Brad Pitt, the blond actor fresh from great films like "Se7en" (performed with the beautiful Gwineth Paltrow) and "Interview with the Vampire" (luxury cast with Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, and Kirsten Dunst). The film is set in the sad years of World War II. Heinrich Harrer (Brad Pitt) is an Austrian climber, proud and arrogant, who in 1939 sets off for the Himalayas, called the "roof of the world," a mountain range in Asia, separating India, Nepal, and Bhutan from China. He thus "abandons" his wife and the child who should be born around when he reaches the summit; hypothetically speaking, IF he reaches the coveted goal. With him also go Peter Aufschnaiter (David Thewlis) and two other expert climbers. Surviving a terrible snowstorm, Harrer and his companions are captured by English soldiers and taken to a concentration camp in India. Meanwhile, in Europe, the war has broken out, and they, being Austrians, are considered enemies. However, the young man does not give up and tries several times to escape. His wife Ingrid, meanwhile, sends him the divorce papers, letting him know that a love story has begun between her and a family friend, Horst Immerhof, and his son, Rolf Harrer, calls Horst "dad."
The presumptuous Heinrich falls prey to anger, and in the rain, he starts to throw himself against the barbed wire, a scene that I find very moving. Fortunately, however, he manages to escape, and along with Peter, as previously mentioned, played by an excellent David Thewlis, after a series of adventures, he lands in Tibet, in the secret city of Lhasa. "A destination as difficult as Mecca, and equally fascinating because it is closed to all foreigners" defines the Austrian climber. His character is already changing, he is aware of his mistakes, and he begins to write letters to his son. Following some vicissitudes with his travel companion Peter, Heinrich feels growing inside a sense of shame and remorse, something that will help him change. After being accepted into the city and having found their own role within the country, the Dalai Lama, a loving and friendly 14-year-old boy, invites Heinrich Harrer to his palace, and it is as comical as paternal, the meeting between the two. When the protagonist bows his head in devotion to the child, the latter begins to tousle his blonde and abundant hair saying "Yellow head, yellow head, yellow head." The boy is curious about the customs and technologies of the Europeans: "What is an elevator? Who is Jack the Ripper? Can you build me a cinema?" to the point where a mutual affection and particular harmony will arise between the two.
Meanwhile, China invades and occupies Tibet. Faced with the tragic situation, Heinrich understands that it is time to flee and would like the boy to follow him, but the Dalai Lama, aware of his importance in his country, decides to stay. Then the climber returns to Vienna, leaving the Dalai Lama, his companion, and friend Peter, who had meanwhile married a local woman. Once home, he meets his son Rolf, with whom he will spend several days climbing the mountains and instilling his passion in him. A million Tibetans have died due to the Chinese occupation, and 3000 Buddhist monasteries have been destroyed. In 1959 the Dalai Lama was forced to flee and took refuge in India. Still today, he seeks to promote a peaceful solution with the Chinese. In 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In the years that followed, Heinrich Harrer and the highest Tibetan authority remained in contact and dear friends. Heinrich died on January 7, 2006.
This biographical film is a moving story that deserves all the respect, for the sadness of reality and for Brad Pitt's superb ability to interpret the figure of Heinrich Harrer.
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