I used the spelling of Jakob as Jacob because when I went to watch the movie it's spelled "Jacob", but from the book, it's spelled "Jakob"
The story is about the Holocaust. In one of the concentration camps, there is someone named Jacob. One night, Jacob goes to receive punishment from the keeper of the ghetto. Accidentally, Jacob discovers that the Russians are approaching the camp. The next day, Jacob tells his former client, a boxer, that the Russians are approaching the camp. After a few days, everyone in the camp heard that Jacob had a radio because of his knowledge about the Russians. Although Jacob continuously denies of owning a radio, everyone believes that Jacob owns a radio. Days go by and the Russians haven't arrived yet. Jacob realizes the declining morale in the camp and decides to lie about the war.
He even said that a jazz band was with the American tanks. Eventually, the head of the ghetto learns of the radio and orders the man who owns the radio to confess or else several people will die. Jacob goes to meet with the head to explain the misunderstanding with the radio. Jacob and the officer make a deal because the officer could be punished for letting one of the prisoners listen to his radio. Jacob was to announce to the camp prisoners that he never had a radio. Unfortunately, Jacob did not deny of having a radio and was shot. After Jacob's death, the camp was liquidated because of the oncoming Russian threat. During the whole ordeal with the radio, Jacob met a girl whom he decided to take care of. Before Jacob left to talk about the radio, he told his former client to take care of her.
After Jacob was shot, the camp prisoners were being transported by train to another camp. However, the Russians arrived and saved the train's riders. This film is wonderful. It depicts one man's desire to lift up the spirit of hope in the concentration camp. The death of the liar was sad, but also necessary because if he denounced the radio's existence everyone would have lost all hope. The movie appears practically perfect in every way except for the ending. At the ending, the girl, that Jacob was taking care of, saw or imagined a jazz band singing where the soldiers were supposed to be. The movie overall tells of one of the events that happened in the Holocaust.