DramaWar

Toyland

- 1942: what happens when a German kid believes that his Jewish neighbors are going to Toyland?

On a winter morning, a mother goes to waken her son Heinrich; his bed is empty. She leaves her flat to find him. The neighbors' door, with a Star of David painted on it, is ajar, the furnishings in disarray, the family gone. She asks passersby, runs to the police then on to the rail yard. Flashbacks show that Heinrich and the neighbors' son Paul are six years old and best friends. Paul's family's deportation is expected soon; Heinrich's mother tells her son that they're going to Toyland. Heinrich wants to go with them, has a bag packed, and listens for their departure. His mother realizes he's joined them, and her resolve becomes more urgent. Will she arrive in time to save Heinrich?

Release Date : 2007-08-29

Language :German

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Mephisto Film

Production Country : Germany

Alternative Titles : Toyland

Cast

Character Name : Marianne

Original Name : Julia Jäger

Gender : Female

Character Name : Heinrich

Original Name : Cedric Eich

Gender : Male

Character Name : Obersturmführer

Original Name : David C. Bunners

Gender : Male

Character Name : Herr Silbertein

Original Name : Torsten Michaelis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Frau Silberstein

Original Name : Claudia Hübschmann

Gender : Female

Character Name : SS-Mann Werner

Original Name : Gregor Weber

Gender : Male

Character Name : Schutzpolizist

Original Name : Jürgen Trott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Blockwart

Original Name : Klaus-Jürgen Steinmann

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gestapo Mann

Original Name : Matthias Paul

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hausmeisterin (uncredited)

Original Name : Johanna Penski

Gender : Female

Character Name : David Silberstein

Original Name : Tamay Bulut Özvatan

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-03-22

Potently seen through the eyes of two young boys, the rise of Nazi-ism is depicted as "David" (Tamay Bulut Ozvatan), a Jew, and his family must make preparations for a trip whilst the mother of the other (Julia Jäger) must make preparations to lie to her son about just what is going on in their country now. They boys have no appreciation of the dangers and so armed with his bear "Little Paul" the two insist on travelling together. Can his mother track down "Heinrich" (Cedric Eich) before it's too late? It's chilling, this film - not just the effects of the snow on the ground but these ghastly yellow stars stitched like targets upon the clothing of the unwilling travellers. The boys think they are going to "Toyland".... Scary stuff well presented with an effective minimum of dialogue.