A Hidden Life (2019)
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An Austrian farmer's unwavering faith leads him to refuse a Nazi oath of allegiance, resulting in a tragic sacrifice for his conscience.
The story
Austrian peasant farmer Franz Jägerstätter lives a simple, rural life with his wife Franziska and three daughters in the village of St. Radegund. When World War II breaks out, Franz is called for basic training in the German army. Upon his return, he faces a profound moral crisis when the village men are required to swear an oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Despite intense pressure from his neighbors, the local mayor, and the Bishop of Linz, Jägerstätter refuses to comply, finding strength in his Catholic faith and his wife's support.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Austrian peasant farmer Franz Jägerstätter lives a simple life with his wife Franziska and three daughters in the village of St. Radegund. When World War II breaks out, Franz is sent for basic training in the German army. After returning home, he is faced with the requirement for all able-bodied men to swear an oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Despite ostracization from his neighbors and pressure from the Bishop of Linz, Jägerstätter refuses to take the oath, relying on his Catholic faith and his wife's support. He is eventually arrested and taken to prisons in Enns and Berlin. While incarcerated, he and Franziska maintain their bond through letters. After months of brutal treatment, Jägerstätter stands trial and is found guilty, sentenced to death. Despite being offered opportunities to sign the oath or perform non-combatant work, he remains steadfast in his refusal. He is executed by the Third Reich on August 9, 1943, while his wife and daughters survive.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 174
- Production countries
- United States; Germany; Austria
- Original languages
- English; German
- Directors
- Terrence Malick
- Writers
- Terrence Malick · writer; Terrence Malick · director
- Cast and characters
- August Diehl · Franz Jägerstätter; Valerie Pachner · Franziska Jägerstätter; Matthias Schoenaerts; Michael Nyqvist; Bruno Ganz
- Genres
- epic historical drama; prison drama
- Themes
- faith; conscientious objection; sacrifice; resistance to fascism
- Tone and mood
- spiritual; yearning; suffering
- Premise and plot tags
- historical drama; biographical; religious; anti-war
- Source material / true-story basis
- Franz Jägerstätter: Letters and Writings from Prison, edited by Erna Putz
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim upon release, with positive reviews highlighting its visual absorption and spiritual nature.
- Production trivia
- The title is taken from George Eliot's Middlemarch.; The film was originally titled Radegund.; The score features 40 minutes of original score mixed with selected classical works.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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