The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) Full Movie subtitled in French
- 2008-05-07
- 94 min.
- Drama
- Miramax Films, BBC Films, Heyday Films
- David Thewlis, Asa Butterfield, Zac Mattoon O'Brien, Vera Farmiga, Jack Scanlon, Henry Kingsmill, Cara Horgan, Amber Beattie, Zsuzsa Holl, László Áron, Richard Johnson, Sheila Hancock, Charlie Baker, Iván Verebély, Béla Fesztbaum, Rupert Friend
- Mark Herman, John Boyne, Mark Herman, David Heyman, Rosie Alison, Mark Herman, Christine Langan, Mary Richards, James Horner, Benoît Delhomme, Michael Ellis
- 7.6 Count: 676
- Set during World War II, a story seen through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp, whose forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences.
- nationalism, concentration camp, world war ii, gas chamber, nazis, concentration camp prisoner
Review
I recently watched this film again, I enjoyed it the first time but wanted to see if it stood up to a repeat viewing. This is a film that see's the second world war mainly through the eyes of an eight year old boy Bruno ( well played by Asa Butterfield) and his relationship with a young prisoner of war ( brilliantly played by Jack Scanlon)at a concentration camp.
I'm not sure if the film realistically portrays life in a concentration camp and to be honest I don't care, this is not the point of the movie. There are plenty of scenes that hammer home the brainwashing that occurred of the German people and the futility of the war.
The acting from the adults is very good, especially from Vera Farmiga who puts in a great performance as the mother who learns just what the war really entails. Excellent support is provided by David Thewlis and Rupert Friend.
This is a very moving but depressing film but excellent all the same. I actually enjoyed it more the second time around and my two young children also enjoyed it. Highly recommended.
Original Title: The boy in the striped pajamas Title in Portuguese: O menino do pijama listrado Year: 2008 Director: Mark Herman Cast: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga, Amber Beattie, Jack Scanlon Screenplay writer: Mark Herman, based on the book of John Boyne Length: 94 minutes
The film starts at the moment in which Bruno (Asa Butterfield), an eight years old boy, is moving with his family from Berlin to the countryside. They were moving because Bruno's father (David Thewlis), commandant of Adolf Hitler army, got a promotion and would need to work nearby a concentration camp. The story is shown from the perspective of looking Bruno, and early on the film, the boy is supposed to be different from his sister, Gretel (Amber Beattie), who apparently does not care about the moving house, but she cares in trying to face the facts like an older girl than she really was, in the view of Bruno. The boy shows to be upset about the moving, because like an eight years old boy, he does not want to go to a place far from his friends, and he thought his house the better in the world, but nonetheless, he has to go with his family, even without understanding what is happening and the political regime of the time, the reason for his father needs to move. When they arrive in the new house, all look like satisfied, except Bruno, who just goes to his room and looks out his bedroom window, where he sees the camp concentration, but he thinks that it was a farm. He observes the place and the people inside it, what look like strange, because the striped clothes that Jews were wearing, and in the innocent view of the boy, it were simply pajamas. After it, Bruno starts to question his parents and his sister about what he had seen, and the answers never were convincing. His distrust increases when a Jew man comes in the kitchen of his house, and his mother cannot explain who the man is and what he was doing there. So, Bruno, driven by curiosity, as a boy who wishes to be an explorer, goes to look for answers to his questions. Then, he discovers a fence in the back of his house, that is the same place that he had seen by his window, and there, he sees a Jew boy, in the other side of the fence, who called Shmuel (Jack Scanlon) and decides to talk to him, and he discovers that both were the same age, and the boys become friends. But, Bruno still does not understand why he and Shmuel were separate by that fence, and the contradiction between what his family, except his mother, that shows to oppose to regime, and the other people said about the Jew, that they were horrible people, and his friend Shmuel, that does not look like this. The end of this story is obviously bad. Bruno decides to go in the camp concentration, so he passes under the fence, in the purpose of helping Shmuel to find his father, and the result of this action is the death of the two boys. The actors acting, mainly the children, is as good as the story. Asa Butterfield and Jack Scanlon had a great challenge in this film and both of them have not left to be desired. So, for those who like films about dramas or the Nazism time, the film is highly indicated, or for those who simply like an exciting friendship story.
If you want the definition of ironic, it would be the plot to The Boy In the Striped Pajamas. Everybody knows the story of Hitler and 1940's Germany. A military man moves his family out into the country so he can work at a concentration camp. His eight year old boy wanders off and finds the camp and befriends a Jewish kid from the other side of the fence. A combination of the child's naivety, strong story, and somber music makes this movie very powerful and brings a new insight to WW2.
The main force behind this movie and what really keeps it going is Bruno. He is the eight year old boy and the main character. He is forced to move away from his friends in Berlin and is looking for a new friend. He meets a Jewish boy in the concentration camp and he has no idea what is going on. He is young and knows little of the war and the terrible things his father and countryman are doing. There are moments in the movie where he asks stupid questions and it makes the audience just go, "oh, no. I know the answer, how can you be so blind?" Then I remembered he was eight years old and has no business knowing what is going on. His older sister is twelve and she gets it. She talks about joining the Hitler youth and she becomes war driven. She is being brainwashed and corrupted by the adults around her. Her whole existence is the show the vile works of the Germans in that time. It's odd how each character in the family is completely different, obviously it is on purpose.
We have Bruno, the main character who is completely blind and innocent. It is his blindness and innocents which makes the movie. Then we have the father, Ralph, who is also Professor Lupin in Harry Potter, just a side note. He is the definition of evil. He works at the camps. My favorite scene is when they are all at dinner and he basically interrogates one of his officers and finds out his father was Jewish. On the spot he has the man taken into the other room, beaten, and killed. It is a powerful scene and shows the reality of the situation. One could argue that it's not his fault because he is just following orders and Germany was corrupt by one insane tyrant, but that's not the point. This movie isn't about the war or Hitler or even the Jews. It is about the relationship between the two young children battling the odds Then there is my favorite character in the entire movie, and that is the mother. She is special so she gets her own paragraph.
Elsa is the mother of this family and she is protective of her children. She knows the danger bit is also blinded by her surroundings. She knows what her country is doing with the Jewish people but she has no idea that they are dying. She finds out that they are being gassed and burned and she flips out. This says a lot about her character and how she did not approve of her countries actions. This is a bold move by the director because he disproves the stereotype that everybody in Germany hated the Jews and approved of Hitler. She is a strong character an gives the movie a different edge.
The movie is a little slow at first and it takes a while for the backbone of the plot to kick in. This movie is 94 minutes and it takes a while before the two boys even meet and build their friendship. Another problem is the little screen time the little Jewish boy is in the movie. The title of the movie is about him and he isn't really seen as much. When he is on screen he tries to tell the truth to young Bruno. He is eight years old and he knows and understands everything that has happened to him. There is one point in the movie where Bruno messes up and it almost costs him his life. I like Bruno as a character but he was a coward and he made foolish mistakes. As the movie progressed I began to realize there were only two outcomes to this story and both are very sad.
Pacing problems, limited time with a main character and my major problem is the lack of character development. Every character with the exception of the mother is the exact same from the opening credits to the end credits. The father is a jerk. The boy is foolish and his sister is corrupted. This made the movie a little boring and even though it was a short film it felt really long. I wanted to see more but I can't think what else could have been seen. The strengths definitely outweigh the weaknesses but the weaknesses are still substantial.
Overall, I did enjoy The Boy In the Striped Pajamas. The music added an emotional touch throughout and one thing you need to understand is that the main character is a kid and you need to think like a kid to understand what he does. By no means is this a happy movie, but more tragic with a few glimpses that would make any parent proud. Watch this movie but be warned, it is not for the faint of heart. The acting isn't anything remarkable, the characters are strong but have little development, but overall enjoyable. This movie gets the WillyT Honorable Mention.
I would give it a 10 but from a mother's heart I simply cannot. It is splendidly cast and acted and the story is riveting as it should be in light of the history portrayed. Innocence is so beautifully shown by this stunning little blue-eyed boy. I just fell in love with him and his mother and the grandmother, who were all obviously showing disdain for the way the people were being treated. I cannot get over how this little boys heart so precisely portrays what truly makes our world go around, namely the innocence of children. This movie truly makes you examine yourself and your motives. I tend to lean to the side of the underdog because that is how I was raised to think, but I wonder how it would make someone feel who had hatred towards others in his heart.... TWO THUMBS UP!!!!!
The story revolves around two boys, one a German, the other a Jew. They live on opposites sides of a dire fence. They share a bond humanity has forgotten.
I don't want to write about the movie. The plot is self-explanatory. We are all familiar with the brutality of the concentration camps of World War II. This story depicts that brutality with a sincere sense of sentimentality and severity, in a no-holds-barred manner. The ending is unforgettable. I can only say that I bought the movie right after seeing it for the first time, and I put it on the shelf in my top-ten section. I watch it every several months.
Have tissues handy. This movie dropped my head in my hands.
Even though I don't remember a single scene with physical violence in it, it is there, it is present. It is an incredibly wonderful piece of art - at least as far as I'm concerned, with an ending I have never seen before. An ending which for me was shocking and traumatising but incredibly powerful.
Most people remember WW2, they think of Hitler, they think of the Nazis, and they think: bad, horrible, unjust, etc. The movie shows an interesting point of view from not only Bruno, but also those around him.
There is a wonderful yet horrifying moment in the movie, when Bruno's mother is talking to one of the soldiers and they are looking at the smoke together and the officer says something like "They smell even worse when they burn". The way he says it, the way she reacts, the scenes that follow... DEFINITELY a reason to watch the movie.
WATCH! WATCH! WATCH! NOW! ;)
I have never read the novel and sadly I never knew this film exist before last year when someone mentioned her intention to watch the film. This is a film that will make your chest tighten and make your eyes wet. I have watched several films with WWII background and this is the first film that provides a point of view of a young kid, which is very rare despite the fact that children feel the damages as well. The ending is unbelievably surprising for me, I wasn't expecting it. I must control myself so I wouldn't bleed my own palms with my nails as the film reaching its end. All in all, it is worth watching and definitely one of the best films I ever watched.
This film is a story of two boys Bruno and Schmuel. Bruno is son of a German commander, while Schmuel is a Jewish boy in a concentration camp which is located near where Bruno has come to live. Bruno doesn't know anything about the concentration camp, while he thinks that it is a farm and farmers wear pajamas. The first time he meets Schmuel, he asks while do you wear such clothes.
Many films about Holocaust are made, but this film still is able to look different from the rest. The entire story is seen from the eyes of a young 8 year old boy, who asks his fascist tutor if there is not a single jew, and the tutor replies if Bruno could find even one good jew, he would be the greatest explorer.
Bruno's grandmother disapproves what her son that is Bruno's dad does, while Bruno's grandfather is also a fascist. Bruno's mother (Vera Farmiga) doesn't want her kids to live near a concentration camp. But Bruno's father is adamant. There are some breathtaking scenes in the film, especially when Bruno asks his father what is being burnt in those chimneys? Really, this is a very cruel reality of which Bruno is completely unaware of, and may not be able to fathom even if he is told.
Bruno's sister Greta, a 12 year old, is also fond of Hitler, and may become a fascist in the future. This story is about the friendship of two naive 8 year old German and Jewish boys. Bruno's domestic help Pavel, a Jew is a doctor, but still their servant. Bruno thinks he must not be a good doctor, so now he peels potatoes. Schmuel also doesn't know what is done in the camp'.The most impressive aspect about the film is the dialogue between the two boys, who are completely unaware of the ghastly things going around.
You do get very much idea about what is going to happen in the end, but the film in the climax will still shock you and keep you stunned for a while.
The cinematography is just stunning in this film. Subtle, yet gets the point across. The violence/disturbing scenes of the film were executed nicely so the film could remain at its iffy rating of PG13. Every scene and line was delivered seamlessly. First encountering him in Hugo (2011), I am quite partial to the young actor; Asa Butterfield does not disappoint as the role of young Bruno. The film's camera work was truly breathtaking.
Though starting rather slow, the plot picks up rather quickly after the first fifteen minutes. A lovely film altogether minus the historical inaccuracies and the fact that the film makes Bruno appear as the victim by emphasizing his innocence and nativity instead of the countless Jews who were slaughtered and deprived during the Holocaust. With its unexpected and heartbreaking ending, this film will remain with a viewer long after.
We've all seen dozens of movies about the Holocaust. It makes it all the more refreshing when someone actually finds a new perspective to tell the story from. For once the protagonist is not on the persecuted minorities' side, but on the well to do German side.
Bruno (Asa Butterfield) is a happy eight-year-old boy living in Berlin. When his Nazi officer father (David Thewlis) is transferred to a new home closer to a concentration camp, Bruno is upset about leaving his friends. He quickly becomes bored in the isolated country home, and believes the concentration camp he sees from his window is a farm. He is fascinated and confused by why the people there wear "pajamas", and is determined to find out more about them. His mother (Vera Farmiga) tells him not to go in the back of the house, but Bruno manages to sneak through the woods, and find the edge of the concentration camp. There he meets Schmuel (Jack Scanlon), an eight-year-old Jewish boy living in the camp. The boys become fast friends, and Bruno comes to visit, bringing food and toys as often as he can. Despite the fact he visits a concentration camp, Bruno is still oblivious to what's really going on there. His friendship with Schmuel makes him question the anti-Semitism in his tutor's curriculum and father's military duties. Both young boys learn about friendship, betrayal, loyalty, courage and common decency, with some parents learning harsh lessons as well.
This movie is stunning, absolutely wonderful. I have never seen a film set in the Holocaust that was told from a German perspective, and I know I'm not alone in that. While most other films demonize all Germans during WW2, this film depicts the difference between Nazis and the everyday German citizen who was unable to stop the horror happening before them. What I find fascinating is that while the movie is first based off of Bruno's innocence, it slowly morphs into denial as he begins to learn more about his father and new friend. The acting in this film is superb. Asa Butterfield is a fantastic child star. One scene that stands out to me is one where he is dealing with guilt in his bedroom, which is both beautifully acted and realistic. Rupert Friend did a great job as the typical cold-hearted Nazi, and Jack Scanlon also gave a great performance as Schmuel. David Thewlis is great as usual. Unlike other WW2 films this shows the horror of the Holocaust by the people suffering through its tortures, this shows the evil of it through the point of view of people who stood on the sidelines watching it happen. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a great story of friendship, and how children are often braver and more virtuous than adults.
