by Patrice Downing, Contributing Writer
Let me just start by saying, I went into Transatlantic thinking it was just Titanic with an American girl heading home from a summer in Europe. I couldn’t tell you where I got that misguided expectation, but I can tell you it was one of the few times I’ve been glad to be wrong. Less than five minutes in, I had to stop and read the Netflix description, then wait a bit before starting out again, as this series is not for casual, multitask viewing. The subject matter covered is compelling, thrilling, uplifting, and at times quite tragic, all of which are elevated by the fact that it is based on the true events found in Julie Orringer’s novel, The Flight Portfolio. Also, unless you speak English, French, German, and a little bit of Spanish and Portuguese, you’ll need to be reading subtitles pretty frequently. Transatlantic tells a story of a terrible and tumultuous time in world history with the proper reverence for the source material, while still bleeding in enough levity to make it both suspenseful and delightful.
For those unfamiliar (as I was) with the story of Varian Fry (Cory Michael Smith), he was an American journalist sent to Berlin in 1935 (as a writer for the American Journal, The Living Age); after witnessing up close the persecution and plight of the Jewish people under Nazi rule, he set out to help them escape. He garnered support from wealthy and influential Americans of the time, including First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, to establish the Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC). Fry then traveled to Marseille, France to base the operation, and it was there he met the ultra wealthy American heiress Mary Jayne Gold (Gillian Jacobs). Gold would become the main source of funding in their efforts to ultimately relocate over 2,000 Jewish artists, scholars, writers, and creators as possible out of Nazi-occupied France, and into neighboring Spain and Portugal before sailing for America between 1940 and 1941.
While Transatlantic does take liberties with the details, and sometimes creates of events, relationships, and characters, fact and fiction meld into a riveting adventure surrounded by trauma, tragedy, and most impressively, the ability of those in peril to still find little pockets of joy even in the darkest of times. Jewish refugees and their sympathizers during the Nazi takeover of France were facing deportation and persecution, not to mention relocation (and execution) to Germany, creating tension and terror that can almost be felt throughout every installment of this series.
Within the first 15 minutes of the inaugural episode, fleeing refugees are already finding themselves in the midst of a police raid, rounded up and thrown in prison. It is here that Gold first meets Lisa Fittko (Deleila Piasko) and Albert Hirschman (Lucas Englander), who would join her in the ERC’s efforts to locate and transport refugees over the Great Pyrenees Mountains and into Spain. This episode does a lot of the heavy lifting for the series, expositing details about not only the time, location, and roles of those involved, but the atmosphere in general during the last days of unoccupied Southern France. For Downton Abbey fans, this series is very similar to Season Two in both tone and the diversity of characters whose lives are explored. Events are shown unfolding from almost all sides, as well as how the experiences affect everyone differently due to race, class, and nationality. It not only explores the struggles of the displaced, homeless, and nationless refugees, but how the emotional pain of the inability to provide aid weighs on those who try to help, and the lengths they are willing to go through to shape change. I watched as the uncertainty and stress of such a grim outlook can drive individuals to act in desperate ways and undertake risks most would find unthinkable. As crazy as it may sound since Transatlantic is based on a true story, this part of history doesn’t seem to be one with which most are familiar, making it a thrill to watch, teeming with anticipation for what is going to happen next. I honestly have never watched historical content portrayed in such a suspenseful manner — the tension in the air is palpable, and I could feel my heart race for the entirety of the five-plus-hour run time.
The story isn’t the only mesmerizing aspect of this series. The sets, landscapes, and costumes are immersive on a level seldom seen on screen, and there’s a reason for it. Transatlantic wasn’t shot on sets and sound stages, but rather on location across the actual beaches and ports of Marseille, as well as in the real Hotel Splendide, Camp des Milles, and Fort Saint-Nicolas. Hotel Splendide now functions as an office building, and thanks to the persistence of the production team, and the dropping of Fry’s name, filming was able to take place on this historic site, and acts as a major character throughout the series. Another featured location is the Villa Air-Bel, which sadly has since been destroyed, but fortunately the talented location scouts were able to find an almost untouched neighboring villa complete with authentic 1940s decor. It’s this depth of detail that adds to the suspense by making the plot completely immersive. Combine that with the beautifully tailored costuming, and period-perfect hair and make-up, and it seems almost anyone could be plugged into these roles and still yield a serviceable story.
But luckily, performance is where this series shines the brightest. With the only glaring exception being the caricature-ish French Chief of Police, all parts are played with the respect and depth necessary to portray the seriousness of their roles. Jacobs shines speaking in a transatlantic accent, typical of an American living abroad, while embodying the independence, assertiveness and entitlement of an heiress of her stature. As wonderful as I find her portrayal, Smith and Englander absolutely steal the show. Smith is able to evoke emotion on a level that made me feel his anguish as he encounters hurdle after hurdle, roadblock after roadblock in his efforts to provide aid. He is a man torn not only by his struggle to rescue others, but in his personal life as well. Smith could not have done a better job relaying Fry’s passion, fervor, and sorrow. Equally impressive is Englander’s skill in switching languages from line to line (English, German, and French), but also tone as Hirschman’s quick thinking is necessary to evade disaster on several occasions. Englander is able to convey confidence without arrogance, while showing his characters reverence and devotion to his heritage and desire to preserve the Jewish culture.
Even though the events of Transatlantic are over 80 years old, this story is just as relevant today. With thousands of refugees around the world dealing with the issue of statelessness, it’s hard to reconcile whether society on the whole has evolved as much as we’d like to think. Based firmly in the reality of true events, Transatlantic is an absolute must-watch. It tells an important story of both the best and worst of mankind, the potential for some to be unthinkably cruel while others have the capacity for incredible selflessness and perseverance.
Score: 8/10
Transatlantic is currently streaming on Netflix
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