Divided We Fall

Movie: Divided We Fall
Year: 2000
Actors: Bolek Polivka, Csongor Kassai, Jaroslav Dusek
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Rating: 7/10
Quote: "If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country."- E.M Forster



Nominated for best foreign film in 2000, Divided We Fall is a memorable tale of friendship withstanding the test of time. Set in Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia, the movie tells the story of a couple who decide to hide a Jewish man in their house during the war. The Jewish man named David, (Csongor Kassai) is the son of a very reputable family that lived in the city prior to being deported to Poland by their Nazi occupiers.

Josef (Bolek Polivka) and Maria (Anna Siskova) are very loyal to David and will do anything to protect him. Josef is also very close friends with Horst, (Jaroslav Dusek) a villager who assists the Nazis in discovering Jews throughout the city. As you can imagine, the movie is fraught with tension and there are many moments where you believe that David will be discovered.



The movie also has an element of humor threaded throughout the storyline. The musical director inserted many old time jazz hits and many of the conversations between villagers were very comical. It was as if the director was explaining that during times of extreme difficulty it is necessary to laugh at times. If not, one would slowly fade away.



I enjoyed this movie because the actors did not seem to be acting. It was if they had always lived in the village and that they were in fact enduring the stress of living during the war as well as enjoying the small moments of pleasure that came their way. There is no epic moment in the movie that defines the story - it simply showcases the endurance and patience of David, Horst, Josef and Maria.



At the end of the movie, both David and Horst need the help of Bolek in order to survive the war. Without true friendship, these opposing men would have died. But through the genuine characters of Bolek and Maria, they realize that they are in fact equals. Divided, the small village would have succumbed to the influence of the Nazis. United, they are able to survive the hardships of World War II


I have posted below a few titles of movies and books that are related to this theme and are set in the context of World War II.

The Book Thief (book)
Flame and Citron (movie)
Swing Kids (movie)
The Pianist (movie)