Eva Bruhns is about to get engaged when she is asked to interpret at a trial of SS officers. Her parents and fiancé-to-be try to dissuade her, but she follows her instincts and accepts the job. She soon realizes that she has a more personal connection to the trial than she could have ever imagined.
Whilst The Interpreter of Silence does have a story to tell, its at times almost neurotic overtones, undermine its impact.
Firstly this is a well acted, mostly well written, mini series that tries and partially succeeds, in taking a look the consequences of Nazi-ism and the final solution, from a German perspective.
In terms of the inherited guilt and the lack of awareness of many younger Germans, its probably partly on target. The trial scenes are engaging and no doubt, accurately reflect the denial-ist attitudes, of those placed on trial.
Where, it veers off course, I suspect, is appreciating the attitudes of the wider German community, many of whom, viewed the on going trials of war criminals, as "victors justice". Irrespective, of the fact this is set in the 60's not the 40's, many Germans no doubt still had mixed feeling, about war crimes trials.
Its partly understandable too, as many viewed the military actions of the allies, as having a criminal element.
The films handling, over the reaction of those who find their families were involved directly in war crimes, feels somewhat overstated, too. In the case of the main female character, to the point of an obsessive neurosis.
In summary, well acted, mostly capably scripted but would have been better again had it taken a more light handed and quite honestly, realistic attitude in its treatment of this darkly tragic period, in German history.