Made directly for the purposes of propaganda minister Joseph Göbbels, Juden Suss is inspired by the life of Joseph Suss Oppenheimer (1698-1738), hated Jewish banker and financial planner for Duke Karl Alexander of Wurttemberg. However, because this is Nazi propaganda, greedy Oppenheimer is now also rapist, torturer, murderer and ludicrous caricature. Some of it's extremely scuzzy morality is still, sad to say, shared by many, including lot of reviewers of this movie (obese people are inhuman, disgusting and evil), but it's only reason to exist is definitely passé (namely attempt to persuade gentiles that all Jews should be tortured to death). The Jewish extras really were Jewish, slave labor forced to perform in the film, and one can only guess how they were treated. Beautiful costumes and sets, though, and those jewels which show greediness of jew and Duke are lovely.
Review of Jud Süß
