This is a fine theatrical work filmed for television. It asks the question where does man stand in his darkest hour. And each cast member answers for a different aspect of the human experience. We are selfish, kind, accepting, desperate, lost, fearful, at peace and maybe everything all at once. We want to know what the meaning of our life and the purpose of our existence in this greater universe. Are we here by chance or by grand design. Did a supreme being pull the strings or was everything by our own choosing and happenstance. Did God create us for his delight or did we create him to comfort us that we are not alone and we will live beyond our natural life. Even if you are staunch in your beliefs. You cannot help but to see the beauty in the humanity of this piece. I believe the questions are what make us humans and our common humanity unites us.

This is not a movie you need popcorn for, neither doubly surround nor a big screen. But it is the movie I chose to make an IMDb account for. Indeed, "movie" is somewhat the wrong term, "play" is more accurate. Facing their death in Nazi gas chambers, a group of Jews put God on trial. The charge: violating the covenant. The story portrays differing characters, from the fearful believer, to the scholar, from the scientist to the simple man - everyone with differing views and arguments. The lively debate with strong arguments on all sides in front of this horrible setting is what makes this film so great. To get the most out of the play one probably should have a (little) knowledge about the Jewish faith or the Old Testament and allow oneself to enjoy a religious-philosophical debate.

In a freezing, filthy, overcrowded hut in Auschwitz a group of emaciated Jewish prisoners await their fate. Around half of them will be selected for the gas chamber within a couple of hours and most seem paralysed by fear, hunger and despair - but one angry inmate rails against God. His anger provokes reactions and soon the men - they are all men - agree to put God on trial, quickly organising a kind of tribunal in the traditions of their religion.This drama confronts one of the central issues of human existence - the basis of faith - and sets it in a time and place that has become a by-word for inhumanity. With writing that is emotive, intelligent and unflinching throughout complimented by a series of utterly convincing and moving performances from all the principals, this was one of the most absorbing and challenging pieces of TV drama I have witnessed in years. In fact I would go further: This ranks as one of the finest TV productions I have ever seen.For me the almost real time context lifted this play beyond another testimony to the Holocaust. The characters all know the past - indeed, they acknowledge several hideous near genocidal atrocities by their Jewish ancestors - but they don't know the future.I won't spoil the outcome but, please, seek this out. If it doesn't make you think and doesn't touch your heart, you may not be alive.

I decided to watch this TV Drama with some apprehension, worried that it would be unbearably depressing to watch, as the outcome is so predictable. We know most inmates were killed in Auschwitz and we know that the trial ended in a guilty verdict. All praise to the writers and performers of this drama therefore for constantly surprising us, those who are meant to argue for the defence often give the most surprising argument for the prosecution and vice versa. Hats of also to all the actors for never stealing each others limelight. Seldom have I seen as balanced a piece of acting, Eddie Marsan and Anthony Sher are there all the time, with very little impact until their chosen moment, whereas others like Stellan Skarsgard are visible all the time but only get to have major influence later on in the drama. The idea of having modern tourists interact with the inmates is used well and sparingly. I thoroughly recommend this drama for anyone willing to engage in thought experiments, it is not really yet another description of what happened in the Second World War in Auschwitz but a novel and complex discussion of evil, guilt and suffering that is most persuasive by not coming up with one right answer.