Franz matters

To-day is 75 years after V-E Day, the German Nazis surrendered.  Before they were defeated, they had much power. Many people succumbed to their evil, some opposed it, and some who did not succumb were their victims.

Franz and Franziska Jägerstätter

I have been trying to see Oscar nominated films.  “A Hidden Life” did not win an Oscar, i don't think it was nominated for any Oscar.  It did win best cinematography from a number of other organisations. Of the recent nominees, i think “1917” was deserving. “Parasite” won for best film, and other things. No, it was not that good. “Parasite” raises questions about society, but “A Hidden Life” does so even more, and the story is real, and its questions are more incumbent.

Terrence Malick made a nearly three hour film on Blessed Franz Jägerstätter. The film is entitled, “A Hidden Life”. One might think it is an allusion to particularly religious writing, but it is the last sentence from George Eliot's novel “Middlemarch”. She wrote:  

“But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.”

Jägerstätter became a conscientious objector to the Hitlerian war machine. The government and the military could come to accept that, IF he made an oath of loyalty to Hitler. His village, and the Church would not defend him. He is repeatedly told to go along, your recalcitrance is of no value. The ostracism, and punishment do not relent.

The film is beautiful, and languidly slow while in the Austrian Alps. It is cruel, and almost a horror film in prison. The main characters speak in English, and others in German. The film is made for English speakers, so the German is just noise (as much speech is). It is a quiet film. Franz says little. His wife, and children love him.

The film is “subversive”, and i am not sure if reviewers catch it all. A church painter says that he paints Christ to His admirers, not to His followers. He makes a living doing this, he would like one day to be brave enough to paint a portrait of the real Christ.

“What we do, is just create... sympathy. We create-- We create admirers. We don't create followers. Christ's life is a demand. You don't want to be reminded of it. So we don't have to see what happens to the truth. A darker time is coming... when men will be more clever. They won't fight the truth, they'll just ignore it. I paint their comfortable Christ, with a halo over his head. How can I show what I haven't lived? Someday I might have the courage to venture, not yet. Someday I'll... I'll paint the true Christ.”

There are enthusiastic supporters of Hitler and the state he rules; we and you are not important, and there are those who just want to get along, and are willing to compromise with the will of evil.