Customer Reviews

The Hiding Place

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the true story of the heroic Ten Boom family who, during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands. asked themselves the question, "If not us...who; if not now...when?" They answered it, and ultimately their response cost most of them their lives. This is their story, as told from the perspective of the sole survivor, Corrie Ten Boom.

The Ten Booms were devoutly Christian and lived a simple life, working in their watch shop that had been in their family for over a hundred years. When the Nazis occupied Holland, they were appalled by the treatment of their fellow Jewish citizens at the hands of the Nazis. Initially, the seventy year old patriarch of the family, played to perfection by Arthur O'Connell, took to wearing a Jewish star himself in sympathy with their oppressed Jewish friends.

As time went on, members of this heroic family began working with an underground, partisan group. When it became clear that Jews were being targeted for death and deportation, however, the family also began to hide terrified Jews in their home, after constructing a false wall in one of their bedrooms, thereby creating a secret room.

Eventually denounced by someone to the Nazis, they are arrested in their home which is then torn apart by the Gestapo, in their search for the Jews they believe to be hiding there. At the time of their arrest, the Ten Boom home was filled to capacity with Jews in hiding. So well concealed was the hidden room that had been created by the erection of the false wall, that these poor, terrified Jews managed to escape detection.

The five Ten Booms, however, did not fare so well and were sent to the notorious Ravensbruck death camp, where Corrie and her sister, Betsie, managed to stay together. It is here that they learn the true depths of man's inhumanity to man, and Corrie's Christian faith is sorely tested.

Betsie, affectingly played by the superb Julie Harris, does not survive the rigors and deprivations of Ravensbruck and dies. Within two weeks of her beloved sister's death, Corrie is miraculously released from Ravensbruck. It is years later that she learns that her release was a result of clerical error and that shortly after her release, middle-aged women, such as she, were systemically being put to death.

Corrie was the only member of the Ten Boom family to survive the concentration camp experience. She told their story in a book upon which the movie is based. She is a stark reminder of the innate goodness to be found in humanity and is a strong counterpoint to the cruelty of the Nazi regime.

I first saw this movie when it was first released in the mid nineteen seventies. It was as moving then, as it is now, nearly thirty years later. The themes upon which it touches are timeless. This superbly made film with its haunting musical score is peppered with award caliber performances. It is simply a great movie...Bravo!

Running "The Hiding Place" through a video player can unlock the door to a place of safety-- a reverent, joyful chamber of promise.

This cannot be a piece of fiction, for in its unlikely construction we see and hear Truth manifesting itself (Himself) through the story of two precious "old maids" of the Netherlands and their watchmaker father. We might, upon a casual viewing, consider this family brave, heroic, self-sacrificing in their efforts to conceal Jews during the World War II Nazi occupation of Holland. But having lived with this story since I was 13 when I heard Corrie ten Boom speak in my church, and having read the book and played the video countless times as an adult, I have come to see that the ten Boom family was neither brave or heroic, but rather "occupied" themselves with a glorious intruder.

He came and transformed their "war efforts" and the resulting torture they endured in concentration camps into an astounding (but Biblically typical)"context" for communion with Himself. Corrie and Betsie and their earthly father would be the first to say that the Lord Jesus Christ is the hero of their incredible passage through hell. And perhaps most amazing of all, they would enthusiastically express that He translated this dark journey into a profoundly beautiful experience saturated with the light, joy, safety and power of His presence.

But this was all a secret. Not everyone saw it at the time it was happening, the movie may hide it as well. My prayer would be that as this story unfolds on film, He will unlock the door of this mystery to every viewer.

Interestingly, when this movie was being made in the mid 1970's, the real Corrie ten Boom was on the set during the entire filming process -- or rather she was close at hand. Many days she would lock herself in a hotel room and pray... pray that He would open the door to Himself through the film. This time alone in prayer was not a burden, nor was she pleading, petitioning a distant, indifferent source of power for a personal favor. She was simply spending time with her Friend and her God in His hiding place, asking Him to bring glory to Himself through this special story He began orchestrating through her life during in the 1940's... and is continuing to unfold...

In short, this film in infused with stuff bigger than itself. It is worthy of many viewings. The performances (a transcendent Julie Harris, a vulnerable, annointed Jeannette Clift), the haunting, beautiful musical score, the straightforward direction and its reverent tone towards Christ(something very rare in cinema), all contribute to a "Portrait" of Truth and Promise. This isn't film making -- it's key turning and finger pointing. Peek inside and see. He is beautiful.

"And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, In order that you may know that it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name." Isaiah 45:3

Even in hard economic times, periods of political turmoil, life in America for most of us is pretty good. Sure, there are struggles, but most of us have food to eat, roofs over our heads, money to spend on entertainment and things, and most importantly, our political and religious freedom. We haven't a clue what it's like to truly fear that our government will take away our most cherished rights. We need not worry that we will be imprisoned, tortured, killed or simply denied the right to earn a living because of our religion or ethnic background.

Imagine our world turned upside down. Everyone knows the history, the horrors wrought on the world by the Nazis. The nightmare that was life in Europe in the 1930's and 1940's need not be repeated here. How would you respond to that evil? Would you blame God? Would you denounce your beliefs and principles to protect your life, the lives of your family and friends or your family business? Would you turn away from the slaughter of innocents to save your own skin? Hopefully, none of us will ever have to answer those questions.

The Hiding Place shows you how one family, the Ten Booms of the Netherlands, answered those questions. They risked everything they had, and suffered horribly (in Dutch prisons and Nazi concentration camps), to save the lives of Jews trying to flee from (or hide in) Nazi-occupied Netherlands.

The movie will challenge you to question how far you would go to do what you believe is right. For so-called "people of faith," you will question whether you would be like Job and honor God despite the trials, or whether you would renounce him. One cannot watch this film without asking, "Do I have even a sliver (mustard seed, perhaps) of the faith of the Ten Booms?"

More than challenging, The Hiding Place is inspiring. It made me believe that I can do more for people than I realize, and that there are no obstacles that others, like the Ten Booms, have faced and overcome.

What I have learned in this book has directly and indirectly been used throughout many years of my life. No other story has affected me like The Hiding Place. It has been such an encouragement; and how blessed I am to know about the ten Boom family and Corrie's testimony! Her books and videos have had a profound impact on me and countless others.

This is an amazing story of faith and courage. I cannot image the awesome trust in God it must have took to withstand all of this. The mental toughness required to endure such hell is unthinkable. A truly great true story. You need to see this one for sure!

The story of Corrie Ten Boom is both tragic and inspiring. Her families' sacrifice is the epitome of Christ's. They were Giants - true heroes during the darkest times in recent western European history. Everyone, Christian or not, should watch this movie. It establishes a high standard of behavior that could change the world if more of us imitated it. On a side note: the widescreen picture was quite good.

The casting is perfect, the story is timeless, the drama will bring tears to your eyes and the cinematography is phenomenal. A+++

Based on true story of the Ten Boom fanily in the Netherlands during WWII and the Nazi invasion. As Christians they became involved in helping Jews escape. Betrayed, the Ten Booms were sent to a concentration camp. Corrie Ten Boom's sister and father died there. Corrie went on to have an international impact for good.

This version has additional info on a second DVD which is terrific.

The Hiding Place has always been one of my favorite books; I first read it as a young teenager, and I come back to it over and over. I saw the film years ago on TV and had been unable to find it on DVD till now. The film necessarily has to leave out large sections to fit in the running time for a movie; but they also took quite a bit of articistic license in completely changing the personalities and behaviors of some of the characters. They turned Eusi the Jew into an obnoxious snob, and the prison nurse was also represented very differently than she was described in the book. Even so, this film is still moving--both heartbreaking and uplifting. I've read other reviews that mention horrible picture and sound quality. I did not have any issues with sound--I can hear all the dialogue very well. Naturally the picture quality is not what you would see from a film today--this film is decades old. Even so, I do not recall any scenes that were so dark or such poor quality that I could not see the characters or sets, like I read in one review. I may have a different version or release than that person had. For when it was filmed and the alotted time it has to run, the movie still does a good job of portraying the WW2 experience of the Ten Booms. It's an inspiring and emotional story that can benefit anyone, religious or not, and I would encourage viewers to read the book for an even better appreciation of what the Ten Booms, and so many others, went through.

This movie was bought on the recommendation of our pastor. It tells the story of Corrie Ten Boom during WWII when so many Jewish children were taken to the camps. She and her family and friends collected Jewish children, kept a record of where they were placed and kept them safe during the war.

Ten Boom and her sister were both sent to the camps for what they did, while friends who helped were killed. Her sister died but Corrie lived and was alive when the video was made and actually spoke about what she did at the end.

This is a story of true love; not in the romantic sense, although she did fall in love with a Jewish man and they married, but in the sense of risking her own life to save the lives of many children whose only "crime" was being born Jewish.