This film is a beautifully filmed, profound, and thought-proving meditation on the ramifications of standing up for what you know is right, despite almost all of those around you-friend and foe alike-holding otherwise.
The great British writer, C.S. Lewis, has been quoted as saying that "Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." I can think of fewer instances when such is more the case than the story of Franz Jaggerstatter. From the starting point of 1939 Austria, Jaggerstatter-an obscure farmer in the mountains of his homeland-gave up everything for what he knew was true.
Malick's movie chronicles the story of Jaggerstatter, a conscientious objector during World War II who, many decades later in 1964, would have his hidden story told by American sociologist Gordon Zahn in a biography titled Silent Witness. Jaggerstatter would be recognized as a martyr and be beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 as a key step towards sainthood in the Roman Catholic church.
As the movie begins, a short written explanation on-screen informs viewers of the contemporary policy that Austrian men of the time were forced to pledge allegiance to Hitler and the Third Reich before and during the war, upon penalty of death. Jaggerstatter (played in an outstanding way by German actor August Diehl) is courting his soon-to-be wife Franziska (Valerie Pachner, in an equally strong performance.) They live in the small village of St. Radegund (once an alternate title for the movie). We observe a couple who, in a very short while, fall very much in love. They soon are married and have three daughters. Franziska's sister later joins the family, along with Jaggerstatter's mother (his father notably fought and died in World War I) and these additions contribute to the tight familial bonds.
At the outbreak of hostilities at the start of WWII, Jaggerstatter, along with similarly-aged men of his village, is obligated to go to basic training in the mountain fortress at nearby Enns. We see him train, along with his fellows, sticking a "strawman" with bayonet and rifle. Incidentally, many scenes in this film depict the cutting and gathering of straw and hay-no doubt one of many symbols in the film. Jaggerstatter's doubts start to materialize on his face further for the viewer, as we watch his disgust at being fed a diet of pro-Hitler and pro-Reich propaganda films alongside his fellow soldiers, who display an opposite reaction. Jaggerstatter is visibly uncomfortable throughout the training and attempted indoctrination, and is only too happy to return home to his family after France falls to the Reich and that momentary stability allows his military training to come to an end.
After the war intensifies, Jaggerstatter and his fellow villagers are called back to military service through a draft. There is intense pressure on Jaggerstatter and the rest of his family to support Hitler and the Reich from his fellow townsfolk, in particular, the local mayor. Jaggerstatter is reluctant to follow through on the orders and swear loyalty to his leaders, which he believes are evil. A devout Catholic, Jaggerstatter appeals to the local bishop of Salzburg (veteran actor Michael Nqvist, in his final film role, ) who hears Jaggerstatter's objections to the war but is unable (and/or afraid) to help him resist, theorizing (probably not unreasonably) that Jaggersatter is a spy sent to inform on him.
After being conscripted and sent back to the fortress in Enns along with other men of the village, Jaggerstatter is told to swear allegiance to Hitler and the Nazis. He is the only one of his group to decline, and he is immediately arrested and imprisoned. What keeps him going is the strength and fortitude he finds writing and receiving letters to/from his beloved Frani and children-who face terrible ostracism in their village as a result of Jaggerstatter's decision, and gain their own comfort from his letters. Eventually, Jaggerstatter is sent to Berlin, where his and other inmates imprisonment-and the attendant psychological and physical torture-is particularly harsh (as we are vividly shown.)
Berlin is ultimately where Jaggerstatter meets his fate. Despite a last-ditch effort to save his life by his lawyer (who argues for him to just sign a piece of paper, which promises non-combat duty in exchange for allegiance) Jaggerstatter continues to stand for the principles he believes in. He is told time and again by his lawyer and others, that his objections to the war won't make any difference in the final outcome, that nobody will ever know or even care about his sacrifice. Then there is an incredibly emotional reunion with Frani and his local parish priest, who travels to Berlin to see him one final time before his trial and execution for treason.
The great and final irony is that although he died in obscurity, Jaggerstatter's final stand would later be the reason why he is known to us all of today. One has to wonder, after viewing this, whether we'd have similar courage in the face of overwhelming opposition?
There's a lot of hallmarks of director Malick, one of the living legends of American cinema, on display in this film. Let's talk about the cinematography: simply breathtaking. Much of the film was shot right on the border of Austria in Northern Italy. There are gorgeous panoramas of mountains, valleys, and lakes. A lot of bright and lush greens, blues, browns come through in the photography. The film does a magnificent job of conveying time and place-I thought I was looking through an actual window back in time to village life in a small peasant community. We alternate from a shaky handheld, closeup camera at times, to a wide view lens. A lot of the film seems to be shot from a vantage point from on the ground, upward-which, if I remember my time in paid film seminars accurately, is the most dramatic camera angle (and it's easy to see why here.)
Another hallmark of Malick's films is a dramatic film score, which pairs with the cinematography like the finest Cabernet with a filet mignon steak. One of my favorite Malick films is "Days of Heaven," which displays a perfect combination of music and photography. This movie is similarly effective, creating a stirring emotional response within the viewer with its perfect pairing of sight and sound.
Malick has been criticized in the past for lack of a narrative and character development in his films, in lieu of showcasing dramatic scenery, landscapes, etc. In recent films, he's shown a propensity to allow improvisation in his movies, while ditching a script. This picture marks a return to scripted drama for the director, and it shows. One really gets to know his character's emotions, the highs, and lows of exilleration and pain, in this film. The strong performances of all the actors contribute to the narrative strength here.
If I have any quibbles with Malick's film, it has to do with the fact that some aspects of Jaggerstatter's religious background aren't fully illustrated on-screen. For example, Jaggerstatter in real life was a member of the Third Order Secular, the Franciscan religious order. This service allowed him to differ from the military for a short time. We also are unaware in the film that Jaggerstatter was influenced by the example of Franz Reinisch, a Catholic priest from Austria, who was executed for his refusal to take an oath of allegiance to Hitler.
Despite my nitpicking, I thoroughly enjoyed Malick's powerful and insightful historical drama. The film is 174 minutes in length, but despite the running time, I was never bored, and was engrossed the whole time as the story unfolded. I appreciate that this is a religious film, without being too heavy-handed on the subject, as well. I can't recommend the movie enough, and it is a worthy addition to Malick's oeuvre.
