Invincible: The Man Chosen by God (2001, USA)

Aichi Insurance Physicians’ Newspaper

Based on a true story, this film follows the life of Hanussen, a Jewish magician during the Weimar Republic. Known for his connections with Joseph Goebbels, Hanussen gained fame as Hitler’s personal prophet and reportedly even coached the Führer in public speaking. At the dawn of the Nazi regime, he went so far as to propose the creation of an "Occult Ministry."

In 1932, in a small town in eastern Poland, a young Jewish blacksmith named Zishe gets into a brawl after being mocked for his ethnicity in a restaurant. Unable to pay for the damages, he begins performing feats of strength to earn prize money. Spotted by a scout from the variety entertainment world, Zishe is brought to Berlin and employed by none other than Hanussen himself.

At Hanussen’s "Palace of the Occult," a secretive venue frequented by powerful figures of Nazi Germany, Zishe starts performing his strongman act. The duo of Hanussen, the clairvoyant, and Zishe, the mighty Samson-like figure, begins to wield influence in the Nazi inner circle. However, Zishe becomes increasingly troubled by his identity and one day publicly declares that he is a Jew. Though met with boos, he surprisingly becomes a sensation overnight, hailed as a modern-day Samson, and crowds flock to see his show.

But the anti-Semitic movement grows ever more violent. In a twist of fate, it is revealed that Hanussen himself is also Jewish. Just as his ambitions near fulfillment, Hanussen chooses to end his own life. Mourning the loss of a pianist he had secretly loved, Zishe returns to his hometown. With a strong sense of duty, he tries to warn the people of the impending Nazi threat—but no one listens.

Even those who seem to ride the wave of power are, in the end, mere jesters. This film is a stark reminder that those who conform to the times for fame or influence may vanish into the footnotes of history. It also warns us that when prophets and occultism take center stage, fascism may be lurking just around the corner.