My Neighbor, Adolf

Writers: Dmitry Malinsky and Leon Prudovsky

Director: Leon Prudovsky

My Neighbor, Adolf, written by Dmitry Malinsky and Leon Prudovsky and directed by the latter, sets up the ultimate ‘’What If?’’ as an elderly isolated man begins to wonder if his neighbour might be the greatest war criminal in history.

In 1960, the year Israel captured Adolf Eichmann in Argentina, Mr. Polsky (David Hayman) a holocaust survivor, lives an isolated existence in a remote South American village. A former chess grand master his sole pleasure is raising black roses from his native Poland. Polsky is distressed by the noise and associated disturbances created by his new and unwanted neighbour, Mr. Herzog (Udo Kier) who, suspiciously, sports a thick beard and wears dark glasses at all times. Worse is to come, Polsky once met Adolf Hitler and has never forgotten his distinctive eyes; he becomes convinced Mr. Herzog’s eyes are identical to those of Der Führer. When the authorities refuse to take his accusations seriously Polsky is forced to start his own investigations and find proof his neighbour is Adolf even if this means feigning friendship with Mr. Herzog.

Having set up the premise co-writer/ director Leon Prudovsky does not know how to develop the plot. The use of Hitler’s first name in the title suggests the movie will have a light tone possibly an examination of a ridiculous situation. However, Prudovsky flirts with various styles and seems unable to settle on one. In the manner of a Mel Brooks bad taste comedy Mr. Polsky tries to urinate on his neighbour’s car only to be let down by his aging bladder and becomes obsessed by the rumour Hitler had only one testicle as a way of confirming Mr. Herzog’s identity. Shades of an Hitchcockian paranoid thriller arise as the lawyer representing Mr. Herzog has a thick German accent and favours suits that look like uniforms. In a possible tribute to Rear Window Polsky struggles to set up cameras and binoculars to spy on his neighbour.

At no point does the movie take a serious approach and examine whether Polsky may be experiencing a mental breakdown or draw parallels with his horrific experiences in the past and the apparently unhelpful attitude of the authorities. Having jumped around testing out styles Prudovsky opts for a caper style with Polsky sneaking around uninvited on his neighbour’s property or interrogating him during reluctantly arranged games of chess. It seems a trivial approach to the very serious subject of how one should behave when faced with a possible sociopath.

Part of the problem is that, by the nature of the plot, Mr. Herzog has to be enigmatic until the conclusion. We know Mr. Polsky lost his family in the holocaust but no details are given of Mr. Herzog’s wartime experiences. As a result, the film cannot develop into the duo sharing confidences and perhaps finding they have things in common upon which to build a friendship. Their relationship remains at arms’ length. The eventual revelation of Mr. Herzog’s motivation is peculiar and something of an anti-climax.

My Neighbor, Adolf is a muddled, unsatisfying movie which stumbles through a number of mildly amusing scenes without ever settling on a coherent style.

Signature Entertainment presentsMyNeighborAdolfin UK Cinemas 4th November and Digital Platforms 14th November.