British lawyer, professor, and author Philippe Sands, elaborating on a story he wrote for the Financial Times, profiles Niklas Frank and Horst von Wächter, the sons of high-ranking officers in the Nazi Party. Because Sands lost members of his family in the Holocaust, he’s not just the screenwriter and narrator but also a subject, which makes this documentary slightly unfocused. Frank is quick to condemn his father, who was a lout and a sociopath at home, but Wächter worships his, which is so compelling I wish he were the sole subject. Though Wächter acknowledges the Holocaust, he refuses to believe that his father was directly involved in genocide, even when shown documentation that proves the father approved and likely ordered mass executions. He’s a frightening example of how the denial common to fascist regimes can endure long afterward. David Evans directed.
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