Angry Harvest (1985)

Angry Harvest is indeed a complex tale -- of a prosperous peasant, a brave coward, a grasping protector, a tragic samaritan, and a killer who claims innocence. Armin Mueller-Stahl is superb in any role, with his eyes twinkling like turquoise or glinting like flint. In this role, he finds a Jewish woman in the woods who escaped from a death camp train and takes her into hiding -- not fully through altruism, we learn, since he is lonely ... grope-y ... even rape-y. While not as explicit and ironic as Amadeus, Angry Harvest really gets toasty when we see the condition of this man's faith. Among other things, one of his arguments for her to love him is that she should convert to "the right religion." He also appeals to the pastor's sister to go in his stead on what he believes may be a suicide mission -- then later tells the pastor he is innocent in her death. Here is a movie that will stick to your ribs -- or pierce them a bit. Enjoy! 4.5 stars. (8-26-2016)