film society - a weekly meeting of junkies to view a film
absolutely nothing known about this film based during ww2
director douglas sirk - ditto - my trust is entirely in the society
the opening credits run with a tree gently quivering in the wind
pink blossom gradually giving way as snow then begins to fall
big dramatic orchestral music and lettering font of a prior age
the letters mcmlviii spotted - 1958 - a reference point at least
a column of soldiers seen walking wearily through the snow
the blue-grey uniforms and the helmets tell us they are nazis
then settling in at a devastated village and the dialogue begins
american actors therefore american accents make it disconcerting
especially for this foreign film lover that seeks authenticity in film
but we'll get past that - and of course the point is that war levels all
this could be any retreating army dealing with exhaustion and hunger
a roll-call revealing the devastating loss of men in the recent conflict
but no reprieve - the commander asks for volunteers for a firing squad
4 rebels (peasants) have been captured and orders are to shoot them
only one volunteer - he a suspected gestapo informant - others picked
including private ernst graeber - not happy but goes through with it
he then seen in more scenes particularly discussing his coming leave
arriving in his hometown and his home bombed and parents missing
such realistic and expansive sets - piles of rubble the main feature
ernst heads to his family doctor to seek information of his parents
he now in a concentration camp for speaking out about the war
the doctor's attractive daughter elizabeth catches ernst's eye
she is feisty, he handsome and determined - romance blooms
the middle part of the film very effectively showing love in war
they drink fine wine and have a free pass to the finest restaurant
ruined by an urgent dash to the cellar as allied bombing intensifies
ernst has a schooltime friend now a buffoonish senior nazi officer
the excesses of indulgence shown on a visit to his luxury home
his plan is to learn of elizabeth's father but he leaves disgusted
daytime bombing destroys the factory where elizabeth works
in a sense (and the film title) we are expecting some bad news
ernst searches for her amongst bombs and collapsed buildings
the filming of that so very impressive and long before cgi, etc
to our relief she has survived and finds a very despondent ernst
their love intensifies and they decide to marry before he returns
getting permission a challenge with her father's outspoken views
but the officer in charge is a prior grateful patient of the doctor
permission granted and so - they do - a temporary happiness
the intensity builds as she is then summonsed by the gestapo
but only sadly to collect her father's ashes sent from the camp
a last night together before he heads back to the russian front
she framed in a stunning shot at the railway station - too sad
back at the front and conditions have deteriorated even more
full circle also - a trio of russian peasants captured as rebels
ernst put in charge of them - and then refuses to execute them
he shoots the gestapo informer instead and releases the peasants
one of them grabs a rifle, stalks and then point blank shoots ernst
he dies with a letter from pregnant elizabeth falling from his hand
the end - wow - two hours plus of an epic and classic war film
love and war - 2 huge themes investigated so convincingly
love and war - 2 huge themes investigated so convincingly
take a bow douglas sirk - and the film society - more...
