Playing for Time (film)

Plot

Fénelon, a Jewish singer-pianist, is sent with other prisoners to the Auschwitz concentration camp in a crowded train during World War II. After having their belongings and clothes taken and their heads shaved, the prisoners are processed and enter the camp. Fénelon is recognized as being a famous musician and she finds that she will be able to avoid hard manual labor and survive longer by becoming a member of the prison's female orchestra, Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz.

In the process, she strikes up a close relationship with Alma Rosé, the musical group's leader, as well as the other members of the band. Realizing that the musicians get better treatment than other prisoners, Fania convinces the guards and members of the orchestra that another prisoner she had befriended, Marianne, is actually a talented singer. Although Marianne performs poorly at her audition, she is allowed to join the orchestra. Playing for the Nazis, however, robs the women of much of their dignity and most of them often questioned whether remaining alive was worth the abuse they constantly suffer.

Cast

Production

The cast rehearsed together in New York City and subsequently filmed in Pennsylvania on a six-week shooting schedule. During the half-way stage of shooting the producers decided to replace Joseph Sargent with Daniel Mann as director. The singer Martha Schlamme also had a small role, listed as "Woman on train".

It is also notable as one of the first film productions where an ensemble of actresses shaved their heads for the sake of their roles.

Casting controversy

The producer Linda Yellen was determined to cast Redgrave in the lead role at a time when the actress was facing protests from Jewish organizations for her criticism of Zionism and her pro-Palestinian position. Subsequently security was required at rehearsals and Yellen's office was broken into. There were further complications when Fenelon herself appeared on CBS's 60 Minutes arguing against Redgrave's casting and suggested Jane Fonda as a replacement. During the production Fenelon continued to criticize Redgrave's politics on her speaking tours across the USA. Actresses on the project had also been contacted with the view of making a statement against Redgrave's casting. They refused and instead released a press release denouncing blacklisting and expressed their desire to work with Redgrave.

As a result of Redgrave's political views, the film was initially banned in Israel, although she appealed to Jordan's culture minister to buy the rights to the film to show on Jordanian television. She wished that both Arabs and Israelis should have the opportunity to see the film.

Reception

Playing for Time was praised by critics and garnered several awards and nominations;

Primetime Emmy Award

Golden Globe Award

Peabody Award

DVD release

After its television broadcast, the film was released on VHS. It was DVD released in the United States in 2010.

Historical Controversy

Playing for Time the movie, and the memoir upon which it is based, have assumed an important place in Holocaust scholarship. Since its publication and tremendous commercial success, Fenelon’s testimony has been accepted as truth and widely dispersed in a plethora of academic, popular, and musical resources. This has proved a source of great frustration and heartache for the other survivors of the orchestra, who almost unanimously found Fania’s representation of their orchestra and its personnel false and demeaning. They have fought a fierce battle in the decades since Playing for Time appeared to have the truth of their orchestra and its history represented. Some attention has been paid to their concerns but in large part, they have been ignored. The greatest sources of anguish are the inaccurate portrayal of Alma Rosé, the slanderous portrayals of many of the other musicians, and the diminishment by Fenelon of their bond and support for one another.