(1989 tv mini-series; originally aired 1/18 and 1/19/1989 on NBC)

A twisted tale of deep remorse and grand redemption, Bruce Greenwood has dual roles in this saga about a high-ranking Nazi who disguises himself as a Jew to escape the end of WWII, only to be imprisoned in Belsen, a Jewish concentration camp instead. An ironic "twist of fate" has him sail reluctantly to Israel, where he becomes a founding father and a national Jewish hero. Top billed Ben Cross plays Benjamin Grossman, the anguished Israeli anti-hero, while Bruce Greenwood is his Nazi counterpoint, playing both the German protagonist (Colonel Helmut von Schraeder), before his disguise is manufactured by plastic surgery - and much later in the story his own son (Daniel Grossman), who ends up being the very man to uncover his father’s dark secret.

Reviews and opinions are decidedly mixed about this rather unbelievable tale, but whether one loves or hates it, the drama is infinitely interesting with a satisfying denouément and some fascinating performances. Most critics seem to prefer Greenwood as the supercilious von Schraeder - an intriguingly complex character explored with intimate detail by Greenwood. But his storyline is more prominent later as the questioning Israeli filmmaker, who begins to suspect his father's true identity when he uncovers a photo of the original von Schraeder, and realizes his looks correspond hauntingly to his own. A British production filmed entirely in Yugoslavia, Bruce Greenwood uses an English accent as von Schraeder to match the other actors, but his own Western voice serves as the Israeli son. The film features Veronica Hamel as Grossman’s wife (and Greenwood's mother) along with Julian Glover as their Jewish friend and Sarah Jessica Parker as young Danny’s love interest.

The screenplay is based on the book "Pursuit" by Robert L. Fish, in which the physical descriptions of both von Schraeder and Daniel Grossman show how perfectly Greenwood captured them:

"Colonel Helmut von Schraeder surveyed the lobby of the old hotel as he gently tugged his gloves free. He was remarkably young for his rank, a tall athletic figure, handsome, with clear ice-cold slate-blue eyes, and a sharp, almost classic profile. His military cap with its SS insignia was cocked just a trifle to give the wearer a look of insouciance, his uniform was neatly pressed and fitted perfectly, and his boots gleamed."

"[Daniel Grossman] was handsome, bright, and healthy. ... In appearance, the boy was remarkably as Ben had been as a child. He had slate-blue eyes, a wide forehead beneath unruly sandy hair, an almost perfectly chiseled profile. He had a quick mind, and from his mother he had inherited a certain steadiness, a dedication to the integrity of his own convictions."

Originally shown over two nights, the mini-series is seldom seen on television anymore and has never been released as a video in the U.S. or Canada though PAL versions are available in both Europe and Australia.

Sound Files from Twist of Fate

		Helmut offers his brother-in-law an escape plan	54 secs
		Helmut blackmails Dr. Schossberg	1 min 52 secs
		Danny pieces together a past life	30 secs
		Danny confronts his father	49 secs

Col. Helmut von Schraeder		Danny Grossman