CBS revises script for miniseries on young Hitler

Associated Press ^

[RCW2001]

LOS ANGELES (AP) - CBS, under scrutiny for a TV miniseries about Adolf Hitler's early years and rise to power, revised the script and plans a donation to a Jewish or Holocaust-related group.

The four-hour miniseries, tentatively titled "Hitler: Origins of Evil," has begun filming in Prague and is scheduled to air during May sweeps.

The original script, drawn from the book "Hitler, 1899-1936: Hubris" by Ian Kershaw, was rewritten in consultation with religious leaders and historians, CBS President Leslie Moonves said Monday.

At a meeting of the Television Critics Association, Moonves was asked about the attention given the miniseries. Jewish leaders have expressed concern the movie will make Hitler a sympathetic figure by humanizing him.

"If you want to play it safe and put on milquetoast, then you get criticized. ... There are times as a broadcaster you do take chances," he said.

The network has decided to make a donation in connection with the film, Moonves said. The amount and the recipient haven't been determined, network spokesman Chris Ender said.

"We simply felt like it's the right thing to do," Ender said.

Robert Carlyle ("The Full Monty") portrays Hitler as a young man and in his rise to power in Nazi Germany before World War II.

[dfwgator]

How long until we see "Young Stalin" or "Young Mao?"

[DoughtyOne]

With no excuses I must admit that I cringe at the thought of anyone making a buck off the presentation of anything on this man's life, at this point. We know what Hitler was. End of story.

Will the crafters of this presentation find it in their power to resist the temptation to gift young Hitler with percieved Republican traits? Will this effort be devoid of leftist propaganda that will have less to do with Hitler's story and more to do with a skewed depiction of what Conservatives stories are supposed to be? I shudder to contemplate the possibilities.

[Bernard]

And "Young Osama", narrated by Patty Murray (Democrat, Washington state).

[Mr.Clark]

If it's based firmly on the book, "Hubris", it should be very good. I really liked the book, it was fascinating reading.

[Petronski]

Jewish leaders have expressed concern the movie will make Hitler a sympathetic figure by humanizing him.

They should focus on slavish devotion to the truth. If it humanizes him, so be it: he was human. We should never lose sight of the fact that the Holocaust was perpetrated by humans. If the portrayal is accurate, and he seems normal, it's all the better contrast to the staggering crimes he later committed.

[Petronski]

Robert Carlyle is an EXCELLENT actor, but I don't think he looks much like Hitler.

[Caipirabob]

Great. So what's the plot? A maniacal young Hitler rouses the Nazi fascist-state into a froth when he proposes a massive tax cut? Drives mobs insane with hatred by proposing Tourt and medicare reform? Pushes his people over the edge by suggesting drilling for oil in the pristine Black Forest? Or how about Hitler's deeply held Christian values somehow compel him to exterminate some 20 million people for giggles?

Don't you just know they'll try to work something like that in?

[Bella_Bru]

Robert Carlyle of Trainspotting?

[colorado tanker]

Hmmm. Dateline Los Angeles. Lemmee guess the Hollywood draft script. Young Hitler is raised in a family of evangelical Christian Republicans and turns to extremist causes during his anti-abortion activism after doing a tour in Vietnam. He joins the staff of Senator McCarthy and is mentored by Roy Cohn when he meets young Richard Nixon. Technical advisors James Carville and Paul Begala. Historical research by the NEA.

[Petronski]

I've never seen Trainspotting.

[dfwgator]

Robert Carlyle is an EXCELLENT actor, but I don't think he looks much like Hitler.

They might as well have picked Dick Shawn to play Hitler. Heil baby!

[dfwgator]

Also the Nazis had the audacity to film their crimes, the Soviets were a bit more subtle about it.

[Petronski]

I'm not sure why Hitler and the Nazi's have this strange allure.

Well, one of the reasons we see more of the Nazis is that they left such a bloody good paper trail--plus we've had a sixty-year headstart studying them. Whatever might remain of the Soviet archives are still sealed.

[dfwgator]

Also being on the winning side of the war doesn't hurt either.

[Petronski]

Forgive my language, but they sure did kick ass, didn't they?