The movie is an examination of men facing an agonizing philosophical choice: whether to affirm another kind of dignity as men by offering resistance to the tyrants (even if that resistance is almost suicidally sure to fail). It is indeed the question which haunts Jews even now: did they go too quietly to their hideous slaughter at Hitler's hands, and what effective choice was there? In a country castles where a catholic count has been selling off the family treasures to sustain a resistance army, he keeps them hidden in subterranean stables on the grounds. But the ironies of choice are not dealt with. The count's guerrillas are fighting for Poland, not for the Jews, and indeed they resent the count's open-handed humanity. There is a tragedy beyond the tragedy. A tear in the Ocean was presented at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival and was awarded by a Chrystal Star, best film of 1973 by the French Academy of Motion Pictures.
—Jeremy Miller - New York