Triumph of the will
Terrence Malick's drama of one's man defiance of Nazism is profoundly moving.
In an age when those in power seem to lack the impetus to act on principle, a film about one man’s conscientious objection may either feel like a rallying cry to the individual or woefully inadequate.
Whatever your take, veteran American left-field writer-director Terrence Malick’s latest meditation on life, purpose and humanity is an exquisitely crafted and resoundingly affecting tale.
Set in a small Austrian village as World War II begins, this true story depicts the highly principled stance of peasant farmer Franz Jägerstätter, who refuses to swear an oath of allegiance to Hitler and the Third Reich. Supported by his loving wife, and with three young daughters at stake, Jägerstätter finds he is at odds with his community. Neighbours turn on the family and view his denial as a betrayal of their culture. Even when questioning the Bishop of Salzburg on the morality of bowing to “evil” leaders, he is told,
“You have a duty to the Fatherland. The Church tells you so.”
But this is not a film about misguided Christian polemic, rather one man’s deeply personal vow. It is markedly not about heroism, either, but a private and silent choice. August Diehl’s portrayal of the resolute young husband and father is extraordinary for its subtlety and quiet devastation (ironically, Diehl is best known outside Germany as a terrifying Nazi officer in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds).
As his wife, Fani, Austrian actress Valerie Pachner is a perfect match, right from an early flashback of the couple meeting and falling in love.
Malick’s polarising career has taken a spiritual turn since his 1973 breakout Badlands, in which an amorous Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek travel across the US on a murder spree. He followed up with love triangles, the jungles of war and a rendition of the Pocahontas story starring heart-throb Colin Farrell. Although his films have always toyed with mystical elements, it was 2011’s Tree of
Life that dispensed with traditional plot structure while interrogating a father’s (Brad Pitt) struggles with faith and death. Various less well-received, audience-dividing pictures followed.
A Hidden Life is just under three hours long – it’s nearly as long as Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, but far more captivating. Those who are worried that this may be typical Malick-ian whimsy – a quilt of images and sound sewn together with wispy voice-over – can rest assured that the narrative is alive and well, and serves to propel the gently engrossing story towards its devastatingly factual conclusion.
The photography is astonishing, care of Malick’s long-time cinematographer Jörg Widmer, who used special lenses in order to get very close to the actors, giving the effect of shadowing them, even in their most intimate, solitary moments. The gliding camera swoops up on universally stunning performances, especially from the main couple whose portrait of deep, unconditional love feels utterly truthful and is profoundly moving.
Add to this a soaring soundtrack by James Newton Howard, which incorporates powerful pieces by Bach,
Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki, and you have a film that truly deserves the term “masterful”.
IN CINEMAS NOW Sarah Watt