The Counterfeiters

Plot

The Counterfeiters is the true story of the largest counterfeiting operation in history, set up by the Nazis in 1936…

Release Year: 2007

Rating: 7.6/10 (21,471 voted)

Critic's Score: 78/100

Director:
Stefan Ruzowitzky

Stars: Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow

Storyline
The Counterfeiters is the true story of the largest counterfeiting operation in history, set up by the Nazis in 1936. Salomon "Sally" Sorowitsch is the king of counterfeiters. He lives a mischievous life of cards, booze, and women in Berlin during the Nazi-era. Suddenly his luck runs dry when arrested by Superintendent Friedrich Herzog. Immediately thrown into the Mauthausen concentration camp, Salomon exhibits exceptional skills there and is soon transferred to the upgraded camp of Sachsenhausen. Upon his arrival, he once again comes face to face with Herzog, who is there on a secret mission. Hand-picked for his unique skill, Salomon and a group of professionals are forced to produce fake foreign currency under the program Operation Bernhard. The team, which also includes detainee Adolf Burger, is given luxury barracks for their assistance. But while Salomon attempts to weaken the economy of Germany's allied opponents…

Writers: Adolf Burger, Stefan Ruzowitzky

Cast:

Karl Markovics
–

Salomon 'Sally' Sorowitsch

August Diehl
–

Adolf Burger

Devid Striesow
–

Sturmbannführer Friedrich Herzog

Martin Brambach
–

Hauptscharführer Holst

August Zirner
–

Dr. Klinger

Veit Stübner
–

Atze

Sebastian Urzendowsky
–

Kolya Karloff

Andreas Schmidt
–

Zilinski

Tilo Prückner
–

Dr. Viktor Hahn

Lenn Kudrjawizki
–

Loszek

Marian Kalus
–

Plappler

Norman Stoffregen
–

Abramovic

Bernd Raucamp
–

KZ-Insasse Dusche

Gode Benedix
–

1. KZ-Insasse

Oliver Kanter
–

2. KZ-Insasse

Taglines:
It takes a clever man to make money, it takes a genius to stay alive

Details

Official Website:
Official site |
Official site [Austria] |

Release Date: 22 March 2007

Filming Locations: Monte Carlo, Monaco

Box Office Details

Budget: €4,200,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $87,514
(USA)
(24 February 2008)
(8 Screens)

Gross: $5,483,549
(USA)
(17 August 2008)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Did You Know?

Trivia:

First Austrian film to win an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film Category.

Goofs:

Continuity:
When Solly and Burger are arguing in their sleeping quarters, Burger pulls down a bunk bed. In the next shot the bed is standing up.

Quotes:

Salomon 'Sally' Sorowitsch:
Ich bin ich. Die anderen sind die anderen.
[I'm myself. Everyone else is everyone else]

User Review

See this movie.

Rating: 9/10


I just saw this movie in London last night. There were 5 people in the
audience (including myself). What a shame because this was a solid
piece of film-making. If you haven't seen The Counterfeiters, go see
it. Here's why.

The acting is outstanding all the way through. You will learn more
about counterfeiting efforts by the Nazis to undermine the British and
Americans. This movie has numerous layers to it, and avoids the typical
clichés that all Germans acted one way, and all Jews acted another way.
You learn the subtle ways that control over other people is used to
manipulate them. Do you put aside your beliefs in order to survive? If
so, are you being true to those beliefs? Is it better to be a dead,
morally right person or a live, less moral one? These are central
themes. Finally, does how we make our wealth matter? These aren't ideas
unique to cinema, but the way the movie presents them is.