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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courageous, controversial and truthful, April 22, 2001
This review is from: The Sorrow and the Pity (DVD)
To most film viewers, this masterpiece of Marcel Ophuls is known by being continuously mentioned by Woody Allen and Diane Keaton in "Annie Hall". Yes, it is the long documentary film about the holocaust that they talk about. Marcel Ophuls, son of Max Ophuls has created a poignant potrait of french society under the Nazis occupation, and their relation to the most horible crime in human history -- he indeed is not afraid to tell the truth; that holocaust took place in France because the French citizen allowed it to happen to the least to say, and even have colaborated to it. However, this film is not a simple minded accusation, but a thoughtful study about a society under pressure, and its strugle for survival. It certainly is a deppressing film; the viewers are constantl reminded to what they would have done if they were --we were-- living under such sircumstances. It is truthful to that extreme extent. It's an amazing film; thoughtful, inteligent, emotional. The opening of this film steered quite a controversy in Frannce, but neverthless had led the way to fictional films about the Holocaust and the ocupation that are more mature and adult, not afraid to portray the truth; Jean-Pierre Melville's THE ARMY OF SHADOW, Francois Truffaut's THE LAST METRO, among others.
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51 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very moving documenary, September 2, 2004
This review is from: The Sorrow and the Pity (DVD)
This is the most moving documentary I have seen. It transports the viewer back to World War II France and conveys the courage, cowardice and hatred arrising from events most of us will thankfully never have to live through. This film helps the viewer understand (or gain an insight)into life in occupied France.
I was born in 1968 - well after the end of WWII. Like most English people I hold the view that we either kicked French ass, or saved their skin depending on the particular conflict (we'll forget about the Norman invasion and Joan of Arc). However, given total collapse, would the UK or US be any different? Some people would collaborate (for ideological or financial reasons, perhaps for survival or out of ignorance), the majority would do nothing and the minority would resist. Would it be so different for any other country? One area the film touches on is the French treatment of Jews - it would appear the French were just as inhernly anti-semitic as the Germans. Anti semitism in france appears to be systemic (e.g. WWI ?Dreyfus affair).
One disturbing aspect of the film was the punishment of young women who slept with the Germans. The most minor acts of collaboration were treated the most harshly. The war in france during the occupation bordered on cival war between factions of the resistance (FFI, Gaulist) and Nazi groups (Millice). A situation amounting to anarchy existed for a short period after the liberation.
Sorrow and pity sum up what I felt for many of the individuals concerned. It presents a dilema I hope I am never faced with - we don't know how we would react both as nations or individuals unless placed in those circumstances. Probaly the closest the UK came was the Channel Islands, occupied from 40-45. The only part of the US that has lived under military occupation, since the revolution, is the South after the defeat of the Confederacy in 1865 - neither example is comprable to the total defeat of France in WWII. The doucmentary brings home the shades of grey in war. No conflict is balck or white, however much we wish it were. Otherwise 'normal' people do bad things - this film illustrates the moral ambiguity war imposes.
Easy to understand why France wants to forget this period.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding Documentary, February 10, 2001
Thank goodness this is now available to US and Canadian viewers. Ophuls did a masterful job of interviewing members of the French Resistance and other participants in World War II. One can learn so much about this war from many interesting points of view not usually in our history books. Many of the people featured in this documentary are sadly long gone but their dedication and devotion to their cause is inspirational as well as informative.
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