Mother Night (DVD)

Mother Night (1996) starring Nick Nolte, Sheryl Lee, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Kirsten Dunst. Nolte plays Howard W. Campbell Jr., an American spy in World War II who posed as a Nazi propagandist. The only catch: His government can't acknowledge his contribution to the war effort, because they might need to use the same trick in "the next war." Campbell goes to live in New York City, where eventually his past comes back to haunt him. Ultimately, it's a very sad movie, with an ending that some will regard as a downer. I liked it, though. I thought the message was powerful -- you shouldn't do evil, even in a good cause. Plus, it had pretty good subtitles. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., author of the book on which the movie is based, makes a cameo appearance. Grade: A-