Tucked away amid the blockbusters and Oscar-aimed independents in 2006 were two movies that made barely a ripple in America. Both films looked at almost forgotten episodes in World War II; one dealt with true events in Nazi Germany, and the other fictionalized experiences during the French occupation by German forces, seen from the view of members of the Resistance. Both the members of the White Rose, the group of students fighting Hitler's regime through non-violent means, and the armed fighters of the French Resistance (who often killed informers and collaborators as well as the German occupiers), were seen as terrorists by the people in charge. In this sense, both these movies might be in violation of a new British law enacted in the same year that these movies came out (see review on page 6). Aside from that almost shallow observation, these two movies actually remind us in different ways of the costs of resistance against tyranny, and should be watched by any friend of liberty. What they lack in the action and entertainment value of V for Vendetta or The Matrix (two other movies about terrorists), they make up for in emotional impact.

Sophie Schöll: The Final Days gives us the last six days in the life of one of the members of the White Rose. This group of students (plus a professor of philosophy) and friends attempted, via the writing and distribution of pamphlets, to arouse public sentiment against Hitler. Taking their name from a novel by B. Traven (author of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Ghost Ship, among others), several of its members had experienced life on the Eastern Front, witnessed the terrible persecution of Jews, and upon their return to Munich decided to take a stand. Always aware of the terrible risks, they wrote six pamphlets (and were in the process of writing a seventh). During the bold distribution of the sixth pamphlet at the university in Munich, two of the members (Sophie and Hans Schöll brother and sister) were discovered and turned over to the Gestapo. During their interrogation and the subsequent investigation, other members were reeled in and arrested. Several of the leaders were killed by guillotine after perfunctory show trials, and their actions in the latter months of 1942 and early 1943 seemed to have little effect on the war in general. The final pamphlet did get smuggled out of Germany to England, where it was printed up and dropped over the country by the thousands, but the war dragged on for another two and half years.

Given the seeming impossible odds facing a small group of students trying to change minds through secretly distributed broadsides, the most pessimistic person might be excused when asking, why bother? As one of the characters remarked, with the alliance of American, British, and Soviet forces encircling Germany, it seemed only a matter of time before Hitler lost. But the point, as these young people savagely learned, is not that we sit back and let the forces of history run their course. The point is to “live honest and true lives, even though that may be difficult.”

Whereas the White Rose group consisted of at least a dozen individuals, and seven of these were executed, this movie focuses mainly on 21-year old Sophie Schöll. The opening act implies that she played a small role; her brother and two others are seen printing up copies and discussing tactics, while she listens to big band music on the radio with a friend. She is almost dragged along as an alibi when Hans decides to distribute thousands of copies of their latest effort outside classes during a lecture, and almost is released by the Gestapo who appear to believe her story that it all was just a lark. But then things get serious, and under continued interrogation Sophie changes course, and comes across as intellectually informed and strongly motivated against Hitler in the name of freedom. Sophie skillfully spars with both her interrogator and her judge; the former abandons his criminology defense to simply fall back on authority, whereas the latter loudly harangues her without listening to what she has to say. The ending appears inevitable, but is no less shocking.

Meanwhile, in France, the Resistance takes up the battle against Vichy collaborators and German occupiers. The Allies gave these men and women little logistical support, but saw some use in their activities. Army of Shadows shows the grim realities of such a war—compromised individuals had to be dealt with as surely as the enemy, and the ultimate cost seemed almost natural. Several of the characters in the movie were based on real people, and both the director and author fought in the Resistance. This movie actually was released in 1969 from a book written in 1943. It saw limited release in America, and now is available in a superb Criterion two-disc DVD. The movie is nearly two and half hours, shot with minimalist dialog, and each scene and moment lingers in aching detail. Much of the events and meanings have to be inferred, and not every loose end is cleared up during the movie, which has been called one of the best portrayals of the French Resistance on the screen. As to this statement, I can neither confirm nor disprove the claim, but as a whole it is a serious and compelling tale, a work of art despite a pace somewhat at odds with our times. The impressions from this movie lasted a long time, though it left me with countless questions about the history and actions of the Resistance.

When considering that the quest for liberty must be one in opposition against authority, there are few examples better of the personal cost involved than these two films, one in German and the other in French. Imagine for a moment young college-age individuals putting their lives on the line for what they believe, without raising a weapon. Is that less noble than taking up arms? Is that less an act against the state? Then again, when faced with brutal occupation, who could resist wanting to defeat invaders by hurting or killing them? Whether or not either group had any effect is debatable, but I think the effort and the idea matter in and of themselves more than results. Let Hans Schöll's last words echo throughout time: “Es lebe die Freiheit!” (Long live freedom!).