The Sorrow and the Pity

The Sorrow and the Pity (1970) Documentary. Directed by Marcel Ophuls. This movie looks at life in occupied France during World War II, largely through interviews with those who lived through it. At four hours, it's a long movie, but it needs to be this long to cover the subject thoroughly. Among those interviewed are members of the Resistance, collaborators, Germans who were in France during the war, and innocent bystanders. Also shown are scenes of the repercussions after the war for those who cooperated with their German occupiers. Some suffered severe consequences, others got off lightly. The movie is divided into two main parts: Part 1, the Collapse, and Part 2, The Choice. Part 1 deals with the ease with which the Germans were able to conquer France, and Part 2 deals with the choice Frenchmen had to make between resistance and cooperation. There are many gradations of distinction among people who made different choices, and the film explores them all in depth. Some might find this movie dry, but I was very interested, even though my mind occasionally wandered. The film is mostly in French, with highly legible English subtitles. Grade: B