The Tasters Review: A Shallow Exploration of Hitler's Alleged Food Samplers
Did Adolf Hitler truly employ food tasters to guard against assassination by poisoning? This controversial question forms the basis of Silvio Soldini's new historical drama, The Tasters, which arrives in UK and Irish cinemas from 13 March. Adapted from Rosella Postorino's novel, the film delves into the unverified account of Margot Wölk, who claimed in 2012 at age 95 to have been one of Hitler's food samplers. Despite historians noting a lack of evidence, the story unfolds on screen with a shaky and unconvincing narrative.
An Uncomfortable Premise and Weak Storyline
The film follows the fictional Rosa, portrayed by Elisa Schlott, a young Berlin woman whose soldier husband is missing on the eastern front. After heavy bombing, she flees to her in-laws in east Prussia, near Hitler's Wolf's Lair military headquarters. Soon, Nazis forcibly recruit Rosa and six other terrified young women, loading them into a van for an unknown purpose.
The scenes depicting the food tastings are deeply unsettling. Initially unaware of their role, the half-starved women eagerly devour a vegetarian feast, only to later discover they are sampling Hitler's meals. This revelation turns their appetite to disgust, with the act of eating becoming a grim ordeal. Hitler's personal chef, who often oversees the tastings, explains the Führer's vegetarianism stemmed from a visit to an abattoir, adding a layer of historical irony.
Artistic Shortcomings and Problematic Depictions
Beyond the tastings, the film struggles with artistic truth. Rosa's affair with a degenerate Nazi officer, played by Max Riemelt, feels nonsensical and undermines her character as a steely protector of the weak. The portrayal of pure evil in this relationship is worryingly shallow, failing to add depth to the wartime setting.
Overall, The Tasters offers a weak and unconvincing take on a historical mystery. Whether based on fact or fiction, the film's storyline and character dynamics leave much to be desired, making it a disappointing entry in the genre of period dramas.
