Two lifelong friends (Jenny Lewis and Kamie Harper) suffered their greatest challenge in life even before they reach young adulthood, faced with the consequences of the arrival of the Nazis in Australia. In the first 45 minutes, you hear about the possibilities of what the Nazis will do, and the last half of the film, you see them carried out and it becomes terrifying. Adults begin to change their points of view out of their own fears of being considered a Jewish sympathizer as if they know what the fate will be.
As the Nazi power rises, the horrors become even more obvious as communities that were once friendly with everybody around them begin to openly discriminate Jews in the street. The opening scene Jewish newspaper editor (Jane Alexander) taking away Nazi propaganda from a bunch of young boys she's known all her life and that sets her up for becoming a target, as well as her family, husband Stephen Macht, daughter Lewis and wise father Ed Asner. Rosemary Forsythe is the initially anti-Nazi teacher whose attitudes change as her own personal fears take over.
A morality tale as well as a historical one, this asks the question of what people should do when they see other groups being unjustly targeted for hatred, and it is heartbreaking to watch the story unfold. Asner's farewell as he leaves his home to get away from the oncoming terror is truly touching. The street confrontation between Lewis and Harper, now wearing a Nazi young girl's uniform, is awkward because they are screaming at each other over these issues in the street as soldiers walked by and not hear them. It didn't ring of truth in the way that the situation arose.
In many ways, this shows a world of Orwell's "1984" that seems to be taking place here because everybody in their efforts to save themselves becomes the most horrific of nosy neighbors, even turning to blackmail which happens with one of the youth from the first scene. The performances and atmosphere are excellent even though there are a couple of minor flaws is that in context of the situation seem out of place even if we'd rather not see them. If you're going to present the whole story, and not skimp on the terrors, show it all. A must for World War II historians, particularly the plight of European Jews caught in the worst part of what happened in countries taken over by the Nazis.
As the Nazi power rises, the horrors become even more obvious as communities that were once friendly with everybody around them begin to openly discriminate Jews in the street. The opening scene Jewish newspaper editor (Jane Alexander) taking away Nazi propaganda from a bunch of young boys she's known all her life and that sets her up for becoming a target, as well as her family, husband Stephen Macht, daughter Lewis and wise father Ed Asner. Rosemary Forsythe is the initially anti-Nazi teacher whose attitudes change as her own personal fears take over.
A morality tale as well as a historical one, this asks the question of what people should do when they see other groups being unjustly targeted for hatred, and it is heartbreaking to watch the story unfold. Asner's farewell as he leaves his home to get away from the oncoming terror is truly touching. The street confrontation between Lewis and Harper, now wearing a Nazi young girl's uniform, is awkward because they are screaming at each other over these issues in the street as soldiers walked by and not hear them. It didn't ring of truth in the way that the situation arose.
In many ways, this shows a world of Orwell's "1984" that seems to be taking place here because everybody in their efforts to save themselves becomes the most horrific of nosy neighbors, even turning to blackmail which happens with one of the youth from the first scene. The performances and atmosphere are excellent even though there are a couple of minor flaws is that in context of the situation seem out of place even if we'd rather not see them. If you're going to present the whole story, and not skimp on the terrors, show it all. A must for World War II historians, particularly the plight of European Jews caught in the worst part of what happened in countries taken over by the Nazis.