So Sad What We Do to Each Other

Rating: 10/10 (13 October 2010)

Set in a French boarding school during the occupation of France by the Nazis, the silences of this film are thundering. We get to know intimately a group of boys, two in particular, one a French boy and the other a Jewish boy whose identity is being covered up. As the boys go through the all the day to day turmoil involved in their close quarters, the threat hangs heavily on the outside. The German soldiers aren't initially portrayed as villainous, but we know what will happen if the news gets out. This is a film about a time when one word can destroy a life. Unfortunately, children often act before they think. This film is subtle. It's about a friendship. Louis Malle, a king among directors, never beats us up with the events. Watching this with hindsight, it made me very sad. I also see that even in our own country, certain groups are now being minimalized. We need to learn from history.