Malle's Great Film

Rating: 9/10 (9 May 2012)

Goodye Children is the Engilsh translation of the title and director Louie Malle has created one of the best World War II dramas ever made. It is based on his childhood memories at a Catholic boarding school.
Julien is a spoiled rich kid who is introduced to three new students, one of them, Jean, is very quiet, and his fellow classmates shun him. One night, Julien wakes up and sees Jean praying while wearing a yarmulke. It turns out that the school is hiding Jewish kids from the Nazis. The two slowly become friends, and when Julien's parents visit they bring Jean with them to a high class restaurant where German officers are dining. A patron is expelled during an ugly racist argument.
A cook at the school is caught stealing food and selling it on the black market. In order to save himself he informs the Gestapo of the presence of Jewish hideaways and Jean is taken away. The priest in charge was also put in a camp by the Germans.
The final part of the film is devastating and Malle has done the true story a great justice by this work.