Triumph of the Spirit

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50%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 6

53%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 1,244

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Movie Info

Triumph of the Spirit is the true story of Salamo Arouch, a Greek-Jewish boxer imprisoned in Auschwitz during World War II. Arrested while attempting to help his family and friends escape the Nazi juggernaut, Arouch (Dafoe) is slated for extermination. He manages to survive--and to serve as an inspiration for his fellow inmates--by literally boxing for his life. He does this at the orders of his SS captors, who gamble on the outcome of Arouch's bouts. With each victory, Arouch is rewarded with extra bread rations, which he passes on to his family. Counterpointing the main story is the seemingly foredoomed romantic relationship between Arouch and female inmate Allegra (Wendy Gazelle). An uplifting coda rounds out this grim factual account. Triumph of the Spirit was filmed on location at Auschwitz--the first film of its kind to be lensed in that infamous locale.

Cast

Willem Dafoe
as Salamo Arouch
Edward James Olmos
as Gypsy
Robert Loggia
as Father Arouch
Wendy Gazelle
as Allegra
Kario Salem
as Jacko Levy
Kelly Wolf
as Elena
Costas Mandylor
as Avram Arouch
Edward Zentara
as Janush
Hartmut Becker
as Maj. Rauscher
Burkhard Heyl
as Aide to Rauscher
Sofia Saretok
as Momma
Grazyna Kruk-Schejbal
as Julie
Karolina Twardowska
as Benuta
Juranda Krol
as Sarah
Wiktor Mlynarczyk
as Beppo
Jerzy Gralek
as Kapo Kyr
Andrzej Wojaczek
as Kapo Otto
Sebastian Spandel
as Lud
Ewa Lesniak
as Kapo Hilda
Anna Chitro
as Naomi
Halina Chrobak
as Clog Thief
Ireneusz Tomczak
as Fratelli
Teddy Atlas
as Silber
Andrzej Leszczynski
as Referee
Lew Rywin
as Announcer
Arthur Coburn
as Rabbi
Maria Probosz
as Rauscher's Girl Friend
Stefania Zubrowna
as Dying Woman
Hanna Pater
as Prisoner Nurse
Dorota Bialy-Wieczorek
as SS Woman
Michal Juszczakiewicz
as Sonderkammando
Jack Messinger
as Greek Prisoner
Tuvia Tavi
as Greek Prisoner
Danny Segev
as Greek Prisoner
Avi Keidar
as Greek Prisoner
Zenon Kostrzewski
Sigal Cohen
Toni Bark
Maria Stokowska
Izabela Wandzel
Jerzy Szaniawski
Marian Skorupa
Wociech Gorniak
Marek Slosarski
Marzena Urbanska
Magda Nodzio
Maciej Grusczczynski
Marek Wudkowski
Edward Skarga
Anna Toronczyk
Irena Romanska
Piotr Sielka
Jerzy Krol
Tomasz Piasecki
Czeslawa Pszczolinska
Boguslawa Fraczek
Anna Maria Nowak
Zofia Jaronczyk
Tomasz Lulek
Krzysztof Baumann
Yagoda Nowak-Nowinski
Elzbieta Trojanowska
Arkadiusz Bazak
Antoni Gryzik
Jacek Domanski
Jadwiga Grygierczyk
Jan Kiemens
Jolanta Gladeczek-Nowak
Mieczyslaw Janowski
Bernard Krawczyk
Jacek Brzostynski
David Marek
Igor Kujawski
Barbara Pohorecka-Bogdol
Anna Wesolowska
Jan Bogdol
Roman Kuossowsky
Yossi Graber
Yehonadav Pearlman
Tadeusz Sobolewicz
Olek Wolejko
Janusz Ostrowski
Andrezej Bryg
Artur Reszke
Zbigniew Wrobel
Malgorzata Kozlowska
Adam Baumann
Marek Frackowiak
Edward Kusztal
Janusz Dziubinski
Andrzej Dopierala
Zenia Korczarowski
Josef Lis
Evan Kopelson
Mieczyslaw Budzynski
Krzysztof Tadak
Zofia Saretok
as Momma
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Critic Reviews for Triumph of the Spirit

All Critics (6) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (3) | Rotten (3)

View All Critic Reviews (6)

Audience Reviews for Triumph of the Spirit

  • Dec 22, 2010
    A poorly written and executed film, based on a heartbreaking, harrowing tale, is still a poorly written and executed film. The boxing scenes are actually this bomb's saving grace. Aside from that, "Triumph" is a term that's about as far from proplerly describing this as possible. Considering the powerful nature of the story, that seems hard to believe, but, behold! Here's the first film of which I am aware that does a total disservice to the plight of Jewish people during the Holocaust. Bad production values, and trite portrayals of both Germans and Jews make this move uninteresting.
    Cynthia S Super Reviewer
  • Apr 28, 2009
    A good screenplay that seems bogged down by bad casting. Dafoe is exceptional but most of the rest seem oddly out of place. This should have been and could have been so much better.
    Randy T Super Reviewer
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