My side against your side, my country against your country. And the protection of one's country and families can become brutal.
Good work at presenting the various characters and various inner conflicts that each had to work through. I applaud the use of the German language with subtitles. The authentic language is a large part of the culture. To his credit, the director honors the culture, other than American in this film.
As the plot goes, I wish the young man who tried to attract Keitz' wife was trying to sell her something, like the latest clothes washing machine, or a job that promised her success and money. Although I know there are some phony preacher types. The film direction shows the conflict between the man working with his hands, and not attending church with her, and the man of ideas and words that she hears at church. The preacher's demonstration of Christian faith is strongly skewed in the "holier than Thou" stereotype. A young preacher wants to impress a young woman, and she falls for the image "better than her man". A man with a disability is challenged to exercise his manhood, with resistance at home and in the community. The young wife has her own lesson to learn about the faith.
I applaud the presentation of the values of the U. S. military as they are upheld. We have seen incidents of the criminalization of segments of the military, in various countries, in WWII and the Vietnam War for example. This happened in the German military on an unprecedented scale in the Jewish Holocaust of 1942-1944. The film director did not minimize the reality of this. The guilt conflict of one POW was shown in a powerful way.
The film direction illustrates discipline from the U. S. military, when an officer or soldier's ethical conduct is below standard.
In a world of grey, routine days, human conflict is common. Humans need to clarify their values, and to act on them.
Institutions like the military also reflect this challenge. Values of human dignity, faithfulness in marriage, and the proper use of armed force are upheld in this film, to the credit of its director.
Whereas some would advocate for us to forget the past, this film helps us reflect also, on our present challenges.
Often there is a personal struggle as well as a struggle in relationship. This film shows many different characters, and the groups they were part of, in this process: the townspeople, families, the POWs as a group and as individuals.
Character change is not easy to show in a film, and with so many characters. I think the American colonel and captain could act, show more inner struggle, from beginning to end, to pull this off well.
Congratulations on the courage to present the historical account and show human conflict, and interpersonal conflict in so many characters, in a very tough time in world history.
A good movie before Christmas, reminding us of our common humanity and need.
