There are some constants in WW2 film-making....

Rating: 10/10 (26 July 2004)

There are some constants in WW2 film-making. - There is always the level headed guy.

There is always the guy with something to live for.

There is always the gruff but likable guy.

There is always the guy you love to hate.

There is always the guy from Brooklyn.

They are all there in Saints and Soldiers.
I saw this fine film at the 2004 Stony Brook Film Festival where it was very well received. The animated post-film Q+A session ran the clock out rather than running short on questions from the audience.
The film is about a handful of Allied soldiers escaping through a frozen forest near Malmedy, Belgium. Along the way, each has their morals and beliefs tested. From the literally haunted look of Nathan 'Deacon' Greer (Corbin Allred) to the attitude of Shirl 'I just want to get back and kill Germans' Kendrick(Larry Bagby), the characters are rich and memorable. Many of the encounters that are portrayed in the film are actual events reported by veterans and then brought to life. In fact, actor Peter Holden is playing his grandfather in the role of Sgt. Gordon Gunderson.
What the film portrays in good fashion is that there is a morality in place in the average soldier during war. They have to wrestle with their beliefs on a daily basis and in ways we civilians both discount and cannot comprehend. In Saints and Soldier, the idea of higher values is depicted in a non-denominational way leaving the viewer free to infer whatever religion they feel is appropriate. Even the Germans, the necessary antagonists in any European Theatre WW2 film, do not appear as cardboard cutouts. Granted, they are the enemy and do bad things but the film centers on the Allies. The Germans WERE the Bad Guys, after all. That being said, there =are= acts of humanity depicted to support the underlying morality of the story.
Although the film was shot on a shockingly low budget, production values are exceedingly high. Everything "looked right" to my eye though I am sure someone in the audience will spot an out-of-place collar tab somewhere. The scenery brought a chill, the music was evocative, the battle scenes were gripping and the sound editing had people twisting in their seats trying to locate the source.
All in all, Saints and Soldiers is an excellent film that should be seen on the big screen and then added to any history buff's DVD collection when video release time comes. It has a reserved spot on my video shelf next to The Winter War, The Longest Day and All Quiet on the Western Front.