I enjoyed watching "An Officer and a Spy" in at least two planes, the first one being the story itself. I remember hearing about Dreyfus affair couple of times, first time when reading my Proust as a young man. But I did not remember the outcome of it, so the movie kept me glued to the screen. It was almost the same experience as watching "12 angry men" when I was a teenager. But Henry Fonda was playing a fictional character, and here Georges Picquart was a real hero who understood that individual justice of a single person was more important than all the pathetic words about the honor of the army or nation. It was also very interesting for me to learn about the positive involvement of Emile Zola in Dreyfus affair, which is one more reason to remember that outstanding French writer. Second plane was the portrait of Paris at the end of the XIX century. I think that it was very convincing and I enjoyed a rare glimpse into the world of some of my favorite painters, writers and composers. At the same time the film kept me aware that our own time and world was better and had more to offer. Looks to me like it was a conscious effort by Polanski and I noticed him modestly standing in a livery at the scene of chamber music concert, at the same time offering a great spectacle to movie goers. So paradoxically enough the film that is showing the pathology within French army is at the same time promoting the French culture. I disagree with people who see in "An Officer and a Spy" a reference to the controversies surrounding Roman Polanski himself. We have to remember that Polanski is a Polish Jew who survived the horrors of Holocaust. Yet when he touched the subject of anti-Semitism like here or "The Pianist" it was always in some balanced way of a person who understands that anti-Semitism is just one of many faces of human intolerance. Polanski is always slow in passing a harsh judgment in his movies, so maybe he deserves the same attitude towards himself. So to summarize for me "An Officer and a Spy" is a powerful and inspiring story set in a great city and told by the old master film director.