Divided We Fall
Czechoslovakian director Jan Hrebejk's Musíme si pomáhat (2000) offers a compelling and realistic depiction of a WWII Czech couple who take in a former employer of their community, David, a Jewish businessman who had escaped the Theresienstadt concentration camp and knew any capture meant death. They allow him to live in their secret closet for two years. Without getting into the plot, I will share that the film masterfully sets up a final 30 minutes of very moving and realistic sequences where individuals face imminent death and maneuver a turn of events requiring personal risk and sacrifice to save the life of another. The final scene with the baby carriage is cinematic genius.Divided We Fall deserved its nomination for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film is must see cinema.
Labels: Cinema
posted by x4mr at 12:15 AM
2 Comments:
x4mr is spot on. This is a truly great movie. The first 90 minutes occurs under the brutal oppression of the Nazis and the constant fear of being discovered.
Then, in a complete twist that is cinematic genius, the Nazis fall to the red army and everything is turned upside down, yielding the unforgettable last half hour.
The film is packed with symbolism. The childless couple's names are Josef and Mary. The Jew is named David, and the baby, well, see the film.
Added to my Netflix queue.
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