User reviews

Without doubt, one of the best films you'll see in your lifetime.

At the start, there is a car being driven in the countryside. The car stops, and three men get out to pee. Two of them play a little prank on the chauffer. In the next scene, the chauffer is in charge, and the family of the boy who played the prank (the bosses who happened to be Jewish) are being evicted of their big house.

And this is just a very minor aspect of the film. There are selfish people, and there are selfless people in this film, and more often than not they are the same people. Of course, those who want things spelled out for them would like to know if Josef makes the decision that is central to the plot to save his skin, to save David's, or to make his wife (who wants to have children) happy.

This is not a Hollywood film. I like American movies, most of the time. They are great for entertainment, but if I want something for my mind and my soul, something that can make me laugh, cry, and think, then this is the kind of movie I want.

In Krszysztof Kieslowski's brilliant film, 'No End', set in post-Solidarity Poland, a lawyer tells a dissident union leader: 'You decided to collaborate the day you decided not to throw yourself under a tank.' Which is of course true, but often forgotten in our easy condemnation of those who picked the wrong side in past wars. To have been a baker in occupied France, say, and to have continued with your work, draws no retrospective judgement; to have been a senior civil servant is to earn today the label of a Nazi. Of course, Nazism was almost uniquely repugnant, and yet could have been stopped had no-one collaborated; but those of us lucky enough not to have lived through the war need also be careful about setting up standards that we ourselves could not have met. 'Divided We Fall' is a Czech drama set in World War Two, whose strength is it's honesty is portraying both the courage of ordinary people, and also the limits of that courage. It's heroes become reluctant enemies of the Germans when they shelter a Jewish fugitive for initially just one night; and are then forced to follow through on their actions. Director Jan Hrebejk is rather too keen on the peculiar trick of shooting film with a reduced refresh rate, rather like an old silent movie, so that his characters' movements appear odd and jerky: I'm not too sure what this is supposed to achieve. The gloomy nature of the central protagonist also leads to a lack of tonal variation in the piece, he is terminally depressed even before he gets into trouble, and this pervasive mood of hopelessness takes some of the zing out of what at times feels a slow-paced movie. But the merit of this work is it's portrayal of real human beings, doing both good and bad things, for mixed motives, at times of intense pressure. 'Divided We Fall' might not be a great film; but it is a true one.

There have been many comments written and I don't want to repeat any of it. Czech authors know well how to make a great comedy, and they proved it in 70's. Most of them do not cause loud laughing, it's more a smile inducing type of movies. But going closer to present these movies become rare, and even smile is either vanishing or becoming bitter. I almost don't find any reason to consider this movie a comedy. It's surely not a Czech version of 'La vita e bella'.

The reason I send this post is kind of Byblical metaphor present in this movie, and (only) one poster (i_nealhoward@yahoo.com) wrote a good remark about it. There are some more examples I'd like to add.

Joseph and Mary, of course, have these names purposely. Mary has a child to save a world, at least their own small world. Joseph in movie is not a father of Mary's child, but she became pregnant with his knowledge and permission. David is the real father of Mary's child in the movie, and according to Bible Jesus is a descendant of king David.

Horst isn't Juda. He is more like a Roman soldier (centurion) played so great by Ernest Borgnine in Zefirelli's 'Gesu di Nazaret': he works for occupation army and fights against Jews, but he doesn't know the truth, and in the end (Jesus' death in Bible, child's birth in movie) he understands and starts believing. But there is Juda: it is Frantisek Simácek, the neighbor who tries to betray David to Nazis, but later works for communists and accuses Joseph (and others) for collaboration. He survives being always with the winners changing his attitudes (if having any) the way it's most convenient, profitable and safe. Kepke is Pilatus, once he understands his power is gone he apologizes (washes his hands), but too late to change the evil he's done. It might be going too far, but you can imagine the communist leader to be a kind of Herod, putting in jail or killing all the suspects just to be sure no enemy will escape. Also, he sends three co-workers to see the baby and check Joseph's story, like Herod who sent the Three Kings to find truth about birth of Jesus.

And the end scene can also have a religious aspect: in the world that needs hope, Joseph shows a child to surviving, and due to a holy child we can see dead that forgive each other and enable building the world of tolerance and forgiving - the world of love, hope and peace.

Just saw this on BBC4 - extraordinary - it's the kind of achievement American (and British) screenwriters should practice for years to emulate. Robert McKee, see this film!

The writing, directing and acting are all superb, and in the service of a supremely human story beautifully constructed around timeless epic themes of man's inhumanity to man, war, and all the other big stuff. To separate these from the movie itself, though, would be to do it a great disservice.

The mix of laugh-out-loud humour, gripping thriller, and finally a well-earned and unsentimental tear-jerker of a last 15 minutes is the zenith of a movie-watching experience. "Divided We Fall" is very funny from the outset, but it doesn't take long for the filmmakers to skilfully tighten the knot with sudden character twists and brilliant writing early on. Once we're immersed in 1943 Czechoslovakia, we're not only rooting for the lead character Cizek, played immaculately by Bolek Polivka - a winning combination of contemporary earthy Brit character actor Philip Jackson and 20th century comedy genius Alistair Sim - we're feeling like we're there with him.

He and the ensemble cast play every beat of the story just right (there's even one moment midway through where the audience are maybe allowed to get a bit too far ahead of Polivka's character, but it's remedied by the performances). The visual flourishes, especially the effects of switching between film speeds and using a DV tape look, all enhance the narrative without intruding into it, and thus heighten the tension at unexpected moments. The costume and make-up designs bring the human stories to warm life; and set against war-torn 1940s backdrops, the production design could hardly go wrong.

A great treatment of a much depicted time and narrative that manages to make events feel fresh, real, scary, funny, dramatic, ultimately hugely moving...somehow many more people should get a chance, and be urged, to see this film.

This film is a beautiful and haunting picture of Czech life during WWII. Particularly, non-Jewish, non-Nazi Czechs, although each of those groups are represented as well. The last few scenes of the film are ultimately a relief because, in light of the film's title 'Divided We Fall', the viewer half expects a pro-Communist forces message. This is not the case. The united Communist army representatives are shown as just as cruel to Nazis and Nazi sympathizers (even those who concede without a fight) as the Nazis were to... well ... nearly everybody. The title is, mercifully, not a political agenda, but a call for love and forgiveness - in this case, within what was once a peaceful and functional Czech community before Nazi occupation.

My only qualm with this film regards the way that the camerawork becomes unsteady and at a lower framerate whenever there is potential fatal danger to any of the characters. I appreciate that when we apprehend a very real danger, our perspective does indeed change to a nearly surreal state. However this cannot translate into the cinematic device employed in this movie, simply because the technique is used not only for when one person becomes scared, nor even only for when any character is scared, but when the AUDIENCE becomes sympathetically scared for the character(s), whether the character(s) knows what's happening or not! Thus, it seems pointless - or at least, it doesn't give the audience enough credit to know when they should be scared simply by how the story is unfolding. Personally, I'd rather a filmmaker flatter my intelligence by assuming I know the score, rather than point it out to me every time.

That qualm, however, is not as dire as it seems. Throughout, the movie retains its gracefulness, its fine pacing, and its delicate and unnerving balance between serene and severe, poetic and panicked. As an example, for a moment the picnic scene seems quiet, peaceful, lyrical, until we are suddenly (but without being hit over the head by daunting music or fast editing to drive the point home) reminded of the sickeningly casual scrupulousness of so many Nazis.

The movie is also extremely well acted. In one scene, Josef, Horst, and a high-ranking Nazi show up suddenly to the apartment which is central to the film. David, caught out of the pantry, dives under the covers with Marie to hide. Horst, probably a little drunk already, comes in and hits on the supposedly bedridden Marie, whose face succesfully commingles her disgust with Horst, her fear of being found out, and her discomfort (physical and ideological) with David lying right on top of her. This is immediately followed by another fine piece of acting when Josef steps into the doorframe, sees what's going on (i.e. that David is under the sheets), and goes from shock to fear to panic to decisiveness, suddenly breaking into a manic drunken look and dancing foolishly and singing a 'funny' Nazi song. His pretended drunken revelry is a ploy to distract Horst and the Nazi officer. Here, as many other times in the film, the line between life and death is suddenly, palpably a hair's breadth away - and yet without any guns fired, pointed, or even drawn. Another interesting theme throughout the film is the lies and deceptions by the good people in order to save one another, contrasted with the situations in which someone's honesty would condemn his friends. Sometimes it's ok, even necessary, to lie.

I don't want to spoil anything, but the ending of the film is a little odd. Yet I wholly embrace it. Film is an art form, and so it is allowed to employ a non-literal ending for the purpose of meaning. If you are put off by such unreal scenes, I suggest you watch less Jerry Bruckheimer movies from now on.

This film is, overall, a masterpiece. It is visually beautiful, has a moving and well-crafted story, and is certainly the best Europe-during-the-holocaust film that never shows you a ghetto or a concentration camp. The other best Europe-during-the-holocaust films, which do show these places, are Schindler's List, Life is Beautiful, and The Pianist. I recognize that Divided We Fall is much harder to find for sale or rent than these other 3 films, but really, everyone should watch all 4. I firmly believe that the more well-made films you see on the subject, the more understanding you'll have, and with these four combined, you get four different flavours: Czech, Polish, Italian, and American (about a German, among others). Divided We Fall is not to be missed.

The best thing about Divided We Fall, and about many Czech movies, is the honest and forthright character development. In this case, we meet a husband and wife and several of their friends who battle in their own ways to survive German occupation during WW2. Although the movie drags on a bit for the first hour, the last half of the film is more than worth the wait.

This movie is intelligent and thought provoking as it examines, without judgment, the human capacity for both good and evil in its portrayal of several citizens of a small town in Czechoslovakia during the Nazi occupation. It is rare that a movie be harrowing, funny, sweet, and heart wrenching without being contrived. What distinguishes this movie about wartime loyalties and collaboration with the enemy from well worn cliches is its finely nuanced portrayal of each character. Not every collaborator is deserving of punishment and not every so called resistance fighter is a hero. It is an emotionally rewarding movie and it shows that human behavior cannot be reduced to a Manichean struggle.

A nuanced character drama set during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia,

Divided We Fall is mis-advertised as a Holocaust drama, when in fact it's an

inquiry into loyalties - personal, familial, and national.

Written and directed by Jan Hrebejk, the film explores the relationship between genial, unassuming Jozef (Bolek Polívka), his lovely wife Marie (Anna Sisková), and former colleague turned enthusiastic Nazi collaborator Horst (Jaroslav

Dusek), a German-speaking Sudetenlander. The three live in comfortable

middle-class surroundings, and in a series of perhaps overly confusing quick

cuts from 1937 to '39 to '41 to '43, we see how Jozef and Horst work together for a prosperous Jewish family, the Wieners. These scenes fly by so quickly that it's hard to make sense of their significance, and my girlfriend had to point out one crucial relationship afterward. By the time we reach 1943, the Nazis are in full control of Prague, and Jozef and Marie chafe silently under German rule, while forcing themselves to host Horst during his frequent unannounced visits. This tableau is overturned when the solitary survivor of the Wieners'

deportation sneaks back to his hometown, threatening Jozef and Marie's safety and imperiling them with reprisals for harboring a fugitive Jew.

While the film starts slowly, and perhaps too muddled in the first crucial

scenes, the dramatic intensity picks up during the second hour, with the struggle of Jozef and Marie to protect themselves while behaving decently, with

sometimes horrible personal choices to make. The most fascinating character is Horst, who has suffered his entire life being ridiculed as a German-speaker in Czechoslovakia, and revels in Nazi superiority at last while still proclaiming himself a loyal Czech citizen acting with his country's interests at heart. I found the ending overly sweet, under the circumstances, but it does wrap up all the endings and demonstrates how a simple division of good and evil-doers in a complicated war may not be possible.

This is the best treatment of the Holocaust that I have ever seen. An amazingly believable story about neighbors torn by the shroud of invasion. Set in Czechoslovakia during W.W.II, this is a glorious movie with passion, drama, action, suspense, betrayal, kindness, humor, man's inhumanity to man, survival, and the undeniable truth that you are only what you make of yourself. You surround yourself with people that you trust and hope for the best. The acting was superb! The directing excellent. I didn't want to get out of my seat at the conclusion. Be prepared to laugh and to cry and to leave the theater thoroughly refreshed, which is a rarity lately.

I normally have a hard time watching sub-titled films. This was an easy, likable watch. No, it obviously wasn't a 50 million dollar Hollwood epic, but it told a personal story involving a few people, and done very nicely. The story was moving, not knowing what was going to happen next. The period costumes seemed very accurate. I enjoyed it. I wasn't going to say much more, but since 10 lines is required, I will add that anyone who says things like "oh why did I waste my time watching this movie," or "what a waste of 2 hours of my life," or "what a boring movie," needs psychological help. And let me add, that I read these reader reviews, partly to decide whether or not I want to watch a movie; and I actually like them to be short and concise. Pete

One additional thought on the film is the way in which it deals with salvation through sin mirroring that of Jesus on the Cross. It is interesting to note that the names of the couple, translated, is Joseph and Mary. David is the Jewish friend they are hiding. If you have not seen this film you may not want to read on but I will try and be discreet about the plot. The Jewish friend the couple is hiding is named David. The Old Testament makes clear that from the line, or seed, of David would come redemption. This redemption came both for Jews and Gentiles. The child born in the film, from Mary and David, brings about salvation from evil for most of the central characters in the film. The final vision at the end of the movie is one of Jews, Germans, Gentiles (and yes even dogs) sitting down and the banquet table of heaven together. One other thought about the film is how often the church criticizes such films for the content. The typical "would you lie about a Jew in the closet" ethical scenario is heightened in this film. I do not believe the filmmakers are trying to suggest the act b/t Mary and David is o.k. but I believe it is interesting to see any story ("breaking the waves" another great example) disgust people for showing the nature of sin and evil to be thrust upon an "innocent" character and not realize this is the same idea of the Suffering Servant on the cross.

A film that illustrates well how some people will rebel against the enemy and risk their lives to help a neighbor, while others betray or imperil those they've known for a lifetime either to advance socio-economically or just to live in relative peace.

Josef is a good man, but even he has anxiety and regrets about doing the right thing. This movie is about him and his wife, and how the man they decide to hide in their home eventually changes their lives beyond what they would have imagined at the time they decided to risk their lives and help him.

I liked this movie.

Depending upon your point of view, Divided We Fall is either charming or maddeningly slow as it develops at a leisurely pace. The movie is contradictory in a number of ways. For instance, the first four scenes take place at two year intervals (which altogether take 5 minutes of screen time at most), and despite the time span covered and the drama involved (Jews being run out of town, the Nazis taking over, an escaped Jew) the story unfolds rather slowly. This is the story of Josef and Maria, an ordinary Czech couple swept up in the events of World War II. Josef has planned to malinger his way through World War II, sleeping on his day bed. His friend Horst, an enthusiastic and obnoxious Nazi will have none of it. Horst has prospered under the Nazis and sharing his good fortune with his friend is a way to control/manipulate him - and to further Horst's desire to bed Maria.

In the end, the movie would have you believe that all the characters are compromised and flawed and that there is some good and some bad in all of us. (Actually this overstates the case a bit. The movie waffles a bit in the case of Maria and is not quite sure whether she is a Madonna figure or not. [Maria = Mary Get it?]) But here the movie trips up. The major crisis of the movie is precipitated by Horst when he tries to place a fallen Nazi in Josef and Maria's apartment. The problem is that Horst is either aware of David, the Jew that Josef and Maria are trying to hide, in which case this is a horribly manipulative way for Horst to try to destroy them or he is not aware of the Jew, in which case Horst can claim no credit for the fact that David survives to the end of the war. In the end the attempt to put all the characters on the same moral plane comes off as too pat and movie like.

The movie has problem that I have never encountered before: some of the subtitles were flashed quicker than I could read them. For those who are inclined to steer around movies with subtitles in the first place, I suspect such a flaw would be sure to damn the movie from the get go.

The movie ends with a surreal scene that one might find in a Fellini movie. For a movie that had for the most part developed in a realistic manner, this final and last scene was absolutely false. My family reacted to the scene by screaming and yelling at the screen, "What was _that about?"

What a wonderful movie! We enjoyed the true signs of humanity throughout the movie. It is refreshing to see, how the struggle, just to survive during the cruel WWII is filmed in such a true but understanding way. And instead of revenge in the end, which would only follow a boring "good vs. evil" plot, people not only forgive each other, they FEEL, that they actually always will somehow belong together. In the end, David Wiener, who was 2 years hidden in a small closet space says about Mr. Prohaska, the Nazi-collaborator "He was a decent man", because he never denounced on his friends. Divided we fall. A big congratulations to the director & the script - details and traces always find a fitting match later in the movie. And for once we have liked the various camera effects. A different kind of film material enhances in some scenes their surreal existence, supporting the distorted view of the protagonists in this human drama.

A highly recommended WWII drama, which is higher rated from us than "Holocaust" or "Schindler's list".

I consider this to be my favourite movie of all time, and everyone I've shown it to has absolutely loved it.

Director Jan Hřebejk certainly deserves his reputation as a great storyteller. The tale is logically developed right until the end, and I enjoyed the clever subtle moments. The humour and writing in general have a very distinctly Czech flavour: witty and sharp. It makes for a very engaging script.

The casting and acting were also excellent. Each actor had the perfect personality for his/her character. Polívka as the slightly goofy but level-headed Josef; Sisková as his wife who wants only the best for everyone no matter what the risk; and Dusek as the pesky but "not quite bad guy" Horst - great performances which complemented each other well.

My only (slight) gripe would be the use of jerky camera work during the tense moments, but that is most easily overlooked in such an amazing film.

Tears, laughter and a message of hope all in one package. Watch this movie - you really won't regret it, and you may even feel compelled to watch it 5+ times like I have!

'Life Is Beautiful' is often called a great 'holocaust comedy', but it pales in comparison to this. Life Is Beautiful awkwardly shifts between scenes that are supposed to be funny, and scenes that are supposed to be meaningful or sad or intense, as if Benigni was making a joke, then apologizing for it, then apologizing for being too serious, and making a joke again, and so on. This movie plays it straight pretty much, and everything just works. Particularly the scene with the hands in the bed, and the scene where Josef is taught how to make Nazi-like facial expressions are hilarious. The characterizations are very well done, particularly Horst, the horny scumbag of a Nazi who you get to like in the end. The movie is sometimes surreal. In many scenes the images are very jumpy and distorted, but that shows us what the characters are going through, effectively. The ending is maybe one of the greatest movie endings of all time. It's very surreal, and you can interpret it in many ways. Its abstraction is what helps to make it powerful. When many people create art that has to do with the holocaust, they often go out of their way just to show us that they are making a statement about how horrible the holocaust is, as if theyre afraid that we won't think that otherwise. Even the classic Schindler's List does that, I think. But this movie is a different kind of holocaust movie. It doesn't try hard to show us that the holocaust was bad, but it doesn't neglect how serious the holocaust was, either. The only complains I have about this movie is that it is often slow, and a little confusing at the beginning. It's not a completely perfect movie, but it's definitely a masterpiece of holocaust movies. All the schools that show kids Life Is Beautiful should definitely switch to this.

This is a film about humanity. We need each other in times of crisis, no matter what our creed or beliefs. We are of one creation and can come through the most adverse circumstances if we help our fellow man. This film is a story of survival, by recognising one's weaknesses and strengths and using them to mutual advantage. In this way we all win.

What an amazing film. I picked this up from work in a throw away box, lets just say, all the artsy movies were in the throw away box, go figure !, took it home, where it sat on the shelf for months, had no idea of the significance of the film, the Oscar nomination etc. So when I finally put it in the machine, I was totally unprepared. What a fine film, beautifully made, gripping, funny, sad, thought provoking. I did not even catch the religious significance of any of it, still it moved me to tears. This is how life is, nobody is perfect, people do horrible/crazy things to survive. Even the hiding of David is done out of self preservation, not something noble. People doing what they can to survive. I loved this film, and would recommend it to anyone with half a brain. A beautiful, intelligent masterpiece.

A disturbing, touching and ultimately uplifting movie. It examines the complexities and paradoxes of human nature and behaviour in the most trying of circumstances. It is a much more realistic portrayal of what normal people do during abnormal times than is the ubiquitous American approach, i.e., any American in trying circumstances morphs into a super hero, albeit usually softly spoken, understated, and of course morally beyond reproach. A movie for a thinking person who has tired of the formulaic.

(2000) Divided We Fall (In Czechoslovakia with English subtitles) WAR/ SUSPENSE

Co-written and directed by Jan Hrebejk, I have to say that the main idea is similar to other war films of that nature when they're people who rebel against Nazi laws by hiding Jewish people in secret basements/ compartments and so forth except that the main difference here is that there has never been a film (as far as I know) about how this particular Czech husband and his faithful wife risked hiding a Jewish person from execution and at the same time putting their own lives at risk. This is all fine and dandy except that the impact may have been stronger had it been based on fact since this is what people want to see happen which in most cases doesn't! The claustrophobia effect works quite suspenseful with it's hand held camera movements centering a lot of the times on the central star who was nearly caught several times as a result of hiding a Czechoslovakian Jewish person. Nominated for an Oscar for Best foreign film!

Set during WWII, this movie examines the perils of loyalty when a man hides a jewish neighbor in his pantry and has to deal with a friend turned german collaborator. Supported by a solid script, the performance of all the actors is excellent. Assuredly, this flick will have you thinking about your own loyalties and how far you would go to maintain them.

"Divided We Fall" tells of a married Czech couple who adroitly escape the ubiquitous threats of WWII Nazi occupation while hiding a Jew and consorting with a Nazi friend. A sensitive, thoughtful, and human Oscar winning drama of technical and artistic excellence, "DWF" has a peculiar sort of "personality" which capriciously meanders from moments of terror or suspense to blithe drama and comic relief. Characteristically European in flavor, "DWF" will have limited appeal among American audiences while being well received by those who appreciate Europix.

I like to eat a snack when watching a film. Sometimes it's chocolate and other times it's fruit. Rarely do I eat oranges because I hate the sticky juice on my fingers. And that is what this film is. Sticky juice that you want to wash off right away.

Not for many a year have I seen such a terrible film except for the nonsense of Beligni's La Bella e Vita.

I curse myself for wasting minutes of my 'life time' in watching this totally useless film. How it was given an Oscar nomination I shall never know. The implausible story aside, the filming techniques were an utter disgrace. Hand cam is not the right word. It seems like it was filmed by someone with a serious neurological disease. Panning, close focus, long shots etc were thrown out of the window and substituted with a manic frenzy of out of focus close ups and wavering mid shots. And as to the scene cuts? I can only assume that all members of the crew were given a pair of scissors. If not I can only assume they had a break for drinks every three minutes. Compare this film with "The Return" I you will know what I mean.

Listen folks, if the story is good, let it speak for itself. No amount of trickery will make a bad plot into a good one. If you want to know the secret of filming watch "Paper Moon". Better still watch real life. How often do you walk around in circles while having a normal conversation.

And then there's the lighting. I don't think the subdued lighting shots were intentional. I guess they needed the candles for the dinner table scene. As for 'contre jour'. The words and method escaped them I think.

Clichés. This film has so many you could release a second copy DVD showing them all. How many more films will I have to see without wanting to scream as the camera pans/jolts upwards to reveal a Gestapo flag? In this film they spared no measure. They did it three times!

It was good to see that they used a Jack Russel terrier as a continuity link for the street scene. Something must have happened though because when it was having to do some night time barking it changed into a rotweiller. How odd?

I was very impressed with the sole German soldier who was on duty in the street. Obviously the budget couldn't go beyond a Jack Russel, its food and one member of the Wehrmacht.

As to the acting. If it hadn't been for the main character it would have died a death in the first ten minutes. Hold on! It did.

This film wasn't satire nor was it dark humour. It was farce with a badly written story line, appalling filming and casting. It is on the same level as Benigni's La Bella e Vita. Which is to say - banal.

Finally. Remind me never to watch another film with Janslav Dušek, In his character role he would, as a collaborator, have been shot by the resistance. As it is, he can take part responsibility for the film being peppered with holes from start to finish.

If you are going to film a subject which directly or indirectly relates to the extermination of 6 million people then do it with taste and elan.

Would someone please inform the director as to what real satire is as opposed to Benny Hill/Mr. Bean comedy. For example: "Apocolypse Now" or "Dr. Strangelove"

It fully deserves a minus 100 rating. It would have been given a minus 1000 but some credit needs to be given to the dog.