One Day in September

Another reviewer called this film "tense" and "visceral." I agree only with one of those adjectives -- visceral. The movie just doesn't move fast enough to keep the typical viewer's attention. Overall, good movie to see to remind yourself of the world that was, and still is, but it won't keep you on the edge of your seat.

There is much about this film that will revolt you: the way the film-makers try to be "even and balanced" by giving Jama Al Gashey (the surviving terrorist) yet another chance to portray himself as a hero; the way a German politician looks the camera in the eye and proclaims that he "liked Issa" (the negotiator for the terrorists and arguably the most revolting man of the lot); the non-stop laughter from another German politician which starts when he recounts that the Israelis wanted to send a team in (ha ha); the complete indifference of the Olympic Committee then and now (they just wanted the hostages moved from the Village so the Games could continue); the collusion between the German Government and the Palestinian terrorists and so much more.

But perhaps the most revolting thing about this admittedly engrossing movie is that the film-makers and the producers and everyone else involved in it just don't get it. They don't get that this could be their family tomorrow. It could be my family, it could be your family.

I wish there was another movie of the horror of 1972 that talked about the victims but (to the best of my knowledge) there isn't. And so (very reluctantly) I recommend it.

Watch it. Because this could be you and yours.

I was in college from 1970-74 and I missed out on a lot of news during those years primarily because I rarely ever watched TV then. (There were far too many other things to do). I saw "Apollo 13" and wondered, Wow! When did that happen? Of course, when I realized it was during that time frame, I understood just how cut off I was. The Munich Olympics did not entirely escape my attention but I wasn't exactly an expert on the subject either. That is why I enjoyed the documentary "One Day in September" recently. I knew the basics but I hadn't realized that the whole story had so much more to it.

In "One Day in September", we are giving a step by step account of exactly what DID happen in Munich. In fact, after a good background intro, the film shows us the exact time of each incident or event as they ocurred. Much of the action (and inaction) is documented with newsreel footage of the times. There are a number of eyewitness interviews many of which appeared to have been conducted later for this film. The narration is limited and seems to have been used only to bridge sequences and/or inform us of background activities not otherwise documented by film or interview. Most of the information I saw I either never knew or had long forgotten. I am glad that I saw this film because I won't forget this again.

The film, I believe, actually opens with an on-camera interview with one of the perpetrators which had the eerie effect of letting us know that there was some element of "success" for the terrorists. The interview with this individual is interspliced throughout the movie and is quite helpful (although it may be bothersome to some that he survived the terrorist action). There are a number of interviews with German officials who seemed to have a knack for phrasing things in just the wrong way. Indeed, I recalled that the German government came off looking bad but I'd forgotten or didn't know just how bad. Things just seemed to get worse and worse largely due to the ineptitude of the German authorities.

Documentaries are often seen and then forgotten. Maybe there's a documentary channel somewhere I haven't heard about but I don't think so. "One Day in September" has reappeared recently on TV recently and I'm glad it has.

I already knew about the horrible events of the Munich games and the deaths of the Israeli athletes at the hands of the fanatic Palestinians, but I was not aware that there were many opportunites to save the Israeli team, but were horribly bungled by the Germans.

This tragedy was preventable, but due to gross mishandling of this incident by the German authorities, every single Israeli hostage was killed.

This documentary will upset you, move you, anger you and ultimately make you ask the question every has asked...why?

oh, what the heck can one say? the miscalculations by the germans, by the israelis, by the terrorists, by the media: if any of them had shown a bit more common sense, this horrific event might well have had a different outcome. half a century after world war 1, english theatrical producer joan littlewood caught the idiocy of all involved in "oh what a lovely war"; perhaps some day when the horrors of the middle east crises are behind us (ha ha ha), another artist will seize upon this bit of madness. a fine documentary if accepted as straight, but the underlying absurdity cant help but osmose through.