A Hidden Life
A humble Austrian farmer becomes a conscientious objector when he refuses to fight for the Nazis in this based-on-real-events World War II drama from writer-director Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life).
"A hardworking farmer, pious Christian, and devoted husband and father, Franz Jägerstätter (August Diehl) is a respected member of his alpine village, St. Radegund. Franz's Edenic existence begins to wither, however, as war breaks out across Europe, Nazi ideology spreads, and both the church and St. Radegund's mayor start spouting antisemitic dogma. Franz undergoes military training but refuses to swear allegiance to Hitler. When called up for conscription, he becomes a conscientious objector — a decision that will test the limits of his beliefs." (Toronto International Film Festival)
- Director:
- Terrence Malick ('The Tree of Life', 'Song to Song', 'The Thin Red Line', 'Knight of Cups')
- Writer:
- Terrence Malick
- Cast:
- August DiehlValerie PachnerMaria SimonTobias MorettiBruno GanzMatthias SchoenaertsKarin NeuhäuserUlrich MatthesAlexander Fehling
Reviews & comments
As I wade in and out of sleep, so this film wades in and out of coherent, beautiful, storytelling. It feels like it’s being told differently from scene to scene, location to location, which honestly fascinates me, and all makes sense once I learned the film had three editors. The editing is mostly very effective, although at times meanders the border of...
New Zealand Listener
pressThose 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.
Stuff
pressAs nearly always with Malick, I adored it. While still wondering what audiences he might reach and how much more accessible – never a sin – he might be if he curbed the privilege his undoubted seniority and status lends him and aimed to make a two-hour film or less, as he once did.
Sydney Morning Herald
pressMalick has always been a grandly Romantic artist, in the sense of Romanticism defined by the 19th-century critic Walter Pater: “the addition of strangeness to beauty”. By now, though, some of the strangeness has faded – and some of the beauty as well.
New Zealand Herald
pressIt's an anachronistic parable for our Trumpian times, sympathetic to lives of moral fortitude lost in the white noise of history. A Hidden Life is a graceful and hauntingly beautiful symphony for the senses that is urgently pertinent. I loved it.
The Times
pressThe ending has real power, too, but much of the rest of the film is just plain dull - gorgeous to look at, but dull.
Hollywood Reporter
pressUnfortunately, instead of embracing the weighty moral, religious and political components of the story, Malick has alternately deflected and minimized them.
Time Out
pressDiehl and Pachner are both terrific, mastering Malick’s improvisational style and bringing earthy authenticity to its playful family moments.
The Telegraph
pressA sombre spiritual war epic which surges up to claim its place among the director’s most deeply felt, sturdily hewn achievements.
New Zealand Listener
pressThose 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.
Stuff
pressAs nearly always with Malick, I adored it. While still wondering what audiences he might reach and how much more accessible – never a sin – he might be if he curbed the privilege his undoubted seniority and status lends him and aimed to make a two-hour film or less, as he once did.
Sydney Morning Herald
pressMalick has always been a grandly Romantic artist, in the sense of Romanticism defined by the 19th-century critic Walter Pater: “the addition of strangeness to beauty”. By now, though, some of the strangeness has faded – and some of the beauty as well.
New Zealand Herald
pressIt's an anachronistic parable for our Trumpian times, sympathetic to lives of moral fortitude lost in the white noise of history. A Hidden Life is a graceful and hauntingly beautiful symphony for the senses that is urgently pertinent. I loved it.
The Times
pressThe ending has real power, too, but much of the rest of the film is just plain dull - gorgeous to look at, but dull.
Hollywood Reporter
pressUnfortunately, instead of embracing the weighty moral, religious and political components of the story, Malick has alternately deflected and minimized them.
Time Out
pressDiehl and Pachner are both terrific, mastering Malick’s improvisational style and bringing earthy authenticity to its playful family moments.
The Telegraph
pressA sombre spiritual war epic which surges up to claim its place among the director’s most deeply felt, sturdily hewn achievements.
As I wade in and out of sleep, so this film wades in and out of coherent, beautiful, storytelling. It feels like it’s being told differently from scene to scene, location to location, which honestly fascinates me, and all makes sense once I learned the film had three editors. The editing is mostly very effective, although at times meanders the border of...
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