The Ring (1996)

One of my all time favorites.

Beautiful, moving film.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A profound movie.A most powerful Holocaust account on film.An imaginary yet credible formulation of a relationship between members of Teutonic background with Jewish background after the defeat of Hitler.The ring, a precious German family heirloom, is introduced early in the story, but is put aside until near the drama's end when in a manner that would have taxed Sherlock Holmes, provides the avenue to the resolution.Perhaps the saddest yet gladdest tale conceived. Its conclusion will have you sobbing in league with all of the surviving characters.View this masterpiece to recreate your faith in humankind a la a Walt Disney fairy tale.

First of all, I want to defend my vote : normally I would give this movie 6/10. But I gave 1/10, not because this movie is so bad, but because too many people gave this one 10/10. 10/10, that means this is a perfect movie?! Sorry to disappoint all those teen girls, but this is far from perfect. The acting is very wooden (the SA-brown shirts in the beginning are just ridiculous) and the plot is very far-fetched (or how do you explain the pregnancies and the guys not finding it out?). Don't get me wrong, it is not an awful movie, but it is a Saturday-evening TV-movie : something you watch when you have nothing else to do. It's not the good movie that I believed it to be, based on its high IMDb-score. Watch it if you like romance, tragedy (a lot of tragedy actually) and are prepared to forget certain impossible details.

This adaptation of Danielle Steel's novel is something that has stayed imprinted on my memory for some time.So many war films cast the Germans as the "baddies" but, here, the devastation wrought to individual lives by World War II leaves us no option but to feel pity for the main characters involved, regardless of which side they represent. Once we leave behind the horrors of war-torn Berlin, we are taken on an emotional journey as three individuals strive to find each other across the world in the ensuing administrational chaos. We cannot help but will them to succeed; we cry with them, we smile with them.The detail within this story is extraordinary. Almost every line of script is vital to the plot, as it twists and turns, with fate proving as cruel as it is kind. Every word is entirely believable, realistic, heartfelt. We follow the characters in their affluence, their desperation, their happiness and their grief. Having never read the novel, I do not know quite who to praise, whether it be the original story or the adaptation, but the filmmakers have ensured every fine detail is correct. There are no errors in the chronology (save one), even down to dates on gravestones. Each connection from one location to another is plausible and well-worked. The Jewish scenes are faultless, including the passages in Hebrew. The traits within each character never waver, and are even given depth and history, no more so than Giselle's selfishness and her father's mercenary ways. The interplay between the characters is perfect as well, such as between Sam and Ruth. We sympathise with both sides of their debate as they try to do the best for their son. The strong female themes that run stronger and stronger through the film are entirely realistic, with so many different women, each with strengths and flaws, crossing our characters' paths.For me, this film appeals on so many different levels. As someone fascinated by World War II history, is shows a stark reality often forgotten for those of us on the winning side. As a genealogist, the detective work of finding individuals is thrilling. As a Jew, Ariana's involvement with a Jewish family is the right mix of touching and nervy. As a hopeless romantic, and one who loves chick-flicks, this is a must, and I cry every time!

Caution is usually advised when a movie with the words "Danielle" and "Steel" in the title is on, and "Danielle Steel's The Ring" is no exception. Going from laughable to mildly watchable, this two-parter sees Nastassja Kinski as the grown-up daughter of a wealthy German couple - the female part of which committed suicide after the Nazis killed her Jewish lover - whose life falls apart in the wake of WWII; separated from her father and brother, loses her lover in the fall of Berlin, goes to the US disguised as a Jew...Though the beautiful Miss Kinski is for most of the film at least ten years too old for her role (given a hand by the cinematographer), she holds this often ridiculous tale together - too many coincidences and silly dialogue make it hard to take seriously, and Michel Legrand's score works overtime to fill in what the plot and in some cases the actors don't provide. (The actress playing our heroine's brother's wife is a particularly strong liability.) And yet, somehow I had to admit the conclusion did work... or maybe I'm just a big softy at heart. Not a must, but not as unbearable as I had thought it would be.