I'm looking forward in anticipation of Terence Malick's new film "A Hidden Life". It is a film based on Franz Jägerstätter's faith-based refusal to swear fealty to Adolph Hitler, which eventually cost him his life. Apparently, his opposition in the story is not mainly the Nazis, but fellow Christians whi try to persuade him to abandon his quixotic foolishness. Even clergy and hierarchy. A review of the film is here
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/hidden-life-faith-based-masterpiece/
I am wondering what secular film critics will make of it. Having previously immersed myself in "The Tree of Life", I look forward to seeing this movie. And I wonder if it will cause me to wonder if someone like me who's purported to be a Christian has lived
To complete:
ReplyDeletehas lived a truly christian life.
In comparison to those who have practiced heroic virtue I am quite sure that I have fallen short.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of this movie, I also would like to see it. It could be a little challenging to find it here; it might be one of those limited issue films.here
I wonder if Franz Jagerstatter is in process for canonization?
(Unfortunately I have not figured out how to type umlauts on my Kindle)
Hold down the letter until the options appear, and then press the one you want. I don't bother with them because they're not part of English orthography. And they require two hands.
DeleteHe was beatified, appropriately, by Benedict XVI. And, yeah, there is a whole lot in his story.
DeleteThanks, Jean. I tried it and it wörked!
DeleteYes, it will be hard to find. Even Alexa doesn't know where it's close to here in Possum Shit. PA. Find the trailer. Malick's films are always trancendantly beautiful.
DeleteI am unimpressed by Alexa.
DeleteThis link finds showings. Closest to you at the moment, Katherine, is probably in Omaha.
Deletehttps://tickets.ahiddenlifemovie.com/
Thanks Stanley. I see that the venue in Omaha is a small "art" theater. I might be able to interest some family members who live there in going.
DeleteKatherine, I notice that some reviews are real putdowns. "Too moralistic". Well, excuuuuuuse me. But I guess I'll have to see for myself. Eva Tushnet in America Magazine had criticism but not a putdown. Waiting for Commonweal to weigh in.
DeleteAnyway, Hoping it pops up at the Pocono Cinema and Arts Center.
Raber is a fan of the German Catholics martyred by the Nazis. I'll let him know about the movie. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHere is more on Jaggerstatter. I've preached on him before.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2007/10/franz-jgersttter-martyr-and-mo
I hope Doino is right in thinking that Jägerstätter is and will be a unifying figure in the Church. He certainly had no fan club among the blessers of armaments when Gordon Zahn discovered him during the Vietnam War. Doino identifies Zahn as a sociologist, which he certainly was, but he was also a well-known anti-war pacifist. The bearer of the news about Jäggerstätter was considered, by one side, as reason to find something wrong with the news. Now, five decades later, we reach agreement that there was nothing wrong with the news.
DeleteIn case you'd want to know more about Jagerstatter, there's a very good essay about him by Jim Forest here: https://jimandnancyforest.com/2008/09/jagerstatter/
ReplyDeleteForest has written biographies of Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton and Daniel Berrigan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Forest