‘Munich: The Edge of War’ Tells of Heroic Attempt to Thwart Hitler

Sandra Miska

Two college friends come together to stop the onset of what would eventually be World War II in “Munich: The Edge of War.” The real-life conference of European leaders that took place in Munich in September 1938 and the days leading up to it unfold right before the eyes of these two fictional characters. George MacKay anchors the story as Hugh Legat, a young secretary working in the cabinet of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (Jeremy Irons). His former friend, German Paul von Hartmann (Jannis Niewöhner, who impresses in his first lead role in an English-language feature), holds a similar post in his country’s government, finding himself on the bottom rung of the inner circle of Adolf Hitler (Ulrich Matthes). As a pivotal meeting between their two bosses draws close, Hugh and Paul, who previously fell out due to political differences, come together in an attempt to stop Chamberlain from signing an agreement with Hitler that would forever change the course of history.

Based on the novel “Munich” by Robert Harris, the film was directed by Christian Schwochow, who begins with the most carefree scene he could do, one of Hugh and Paul frolicking about at an outdoor soirée while students at Oxford. It’s 1932, and the pair, along with Paul’s girlfriend Lenya (Liv Lisa Fries), chug champagne and talk about the future before taking in some fireworks. It’s a sharp contrast to what is shown six years later. Hugh is now a father and married to Pamela (Jessica Brown Findlay in an underdeveloped role), but his busy schedule means he barely has time to have lunch with his wife on their anniversary. That, along with the fact he has to be secretive about his work, puts a strain on their marriage. His boss Chamberlain is on the verge of coming to an agreement that would allow Hitler to annex parts of Czechoslovakia, the Sudetenland, his hope being that this act of appeasement will prevent a major war.

But Paul knows better. Although a flashback reveals that he once supported Hitler, he now knows him to be a power-hungry monster, and he has a document to prove it. He arranges to meet up with Hugh in Munich to show him these papers that prove that the German chancellor is bent on world domination, but getting to Hugh is just part of the battle. After their reunion, the real challenge is to get Chamberlain to look at the doc and change his mind about the agreement, but that turns out to be a futile endeavor. As he is no longer with Lenya and the only thing he has going in his personal life is an affair with a colleague, more mature widow Helen Winter (Sandra Hüller), Paul has less to lose than Hugh, and the formerly fun-loving young man gets to the point where he is willing to sacrifice his own life to stop Hitler.

MacKay recently spoke with Entertainment Voice about “Munich: The Edge of War” and its timely message about holding political leaders accountable. “Is it about personal activism? He pondered when discussing the best way to bring about change. “Or is it about legislation? Romantically, you think, ‘Right, let’s get to the streets and do it with fists and our voices and make change by protest.’ I believe in that, but I also believe that that needs to be followed up with the powers that be.” 

Irons is terrific as Chamberlain, whose legacy is overshadowed by that of his successor, Winston Churchill. While we see him screwing up royally when it comes to his dealings with Hitler, there is a part of the viewer that cannot but admire his commitment to keeping the peace between Britain and Germany. Still, his unwillingness to see Htiler for what he is is frustrating, and a premature public celebration after the Munich agreement brings to mind former POTUS George W. Bush’s infamous Mission Accomplished speech during the Iraq War.

Schwochow also not-so-subtly draws parallels between what happened back then in Europe to how things have been going down in the U.S. in recent years. In the second flashback, Hugh, Paul and Lenya discuss Hitler over beers at a festive Munich pub. Lenya, who is Jewish, calls him dangerous, but Paul insists that a vote for Hitler is a vote for the future; he’s the only one who can make Germany great again. The viewer at home can relate as much in these young people’s world shifts and changes in just a few years.

 “Munich: The Edge of War” begins streaming Jan. 21 on Netflix.