The Ogre (German: Der Unhold) is a 1996 French-German drama film directed by Volker Schlöndorff and starring John Malkovich, Gottfried John, Marianne Sägebrecht, Volker Spengler, Heino Ferch, Dieter Laser and Armin Mueller-Stahl. It was written by Jean-Claude Carrière and Schlöndorff, based on the novel The Erl-King by Michel Tournier. The story follows a simple man who recruits children to be Nazis in the belief that he is protecting them.Synopsis
Abel Tiffauges (Malkovich) is a simple Frenchman at the start of World War II, who loves animals and children. The first part of the film recalls his childhood at a Catholic school for boys, in where he wishes to Saint Christopher that the school, which he sees as a prison, is burned down. By irony of fate, while Abel is being disciplined for spilling lamp oil on the chapel floor, his friend Nestor accidentally sets fire to the building, burning it down as he wished. From that day on, Abel is convinced that fate is on his side, and that it will protect him from anything.
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