MovieChat Forums > Walk on Water (2005) Discussion > Gays were deported as well!

Gays were deported as well!

posted 14 years ago by TheLurkingFox
4 replies | jump to latest

I loved this movie but I can't understand why this is NEVER mentioned. Eyal had his family deported and killed by the Nazis. The way he deals with this and modern-day Germany (including Axel) is extremely interesting.

But I don't get how it is possible that NOT ONCE in the movie does someone mention that gay people were deported en masse to concentration camps as well. The "pink triangles" who were often at the complete bottom of the camp hierarchy. Axel ALSO has something to reproach his family directly, he also has to deal with it somehow, but it is never mentioned.

I was very disappointed in this, and that prevents me from giving the movie a 10/10.

*****
With the newspaper strike on, I wouldn't consider dying! /Bette Davis/

[–] lubin-freddy 13 years ago

The film was already dealing with multiple issues: Israeli macho culture, Arab-Jewish conflict, homophobia, "third generation" holocaust, etc. Another BIG ISSUE might have tipped the balance towards making the film seem more heavy.

I want to shake every limb in the Garden of Eden
and make every lover the love of my life

[–] TheLurkingFox 13 years ago

I don't think that's a very good excuse.

The deportation of homosexuals (who were at the bottom of the camp's hierarchy, were the first choice for scientific "experiments", and often mistreated by prisoners as well) is a ongoing problem. For a very long time it has been swept under the carpet, and forgotten.

Many of the homosexuals who came back from the camp were put back immediately in jail in Germany.

"The movie would have been too heavy" doesn't seem to cut it when you're forgoing something SO important, and which has been silenced for so many years. Especially since there is a gay character in it - so the issue IS raised.

*****
With the newspaper strike on, I wouldn't consider dying! /Bette Davis/

[–] lubin-freddy 13 years ago

I still don't think it's fair to criticize a film because it didn't deal with MORE issues than it did.

I want to shake every limb in the Garden of Eden
and make every lover the love of my life

[–] candypants42 13 years ago

I thought about this aswell, but I don't take issue with the fact that the movie didn't bring it up. As you pointed out it could easily have done so, but I don't think the film would have been any better for it. Since it IS there, it doesn't have to be spelled out.

I generally agree with you about the issues with neglecting to adress gay rights when discussing the war. However; though it's absurd to argue about who had it worst in the death camps, I think the disabled people were at the actual bottom of the hierarchy.