Defiance [DVD]

Options for the Jewish people in Europe during the Second World War were obviously extremely limited. Those unable to flee to safe sanctuaries in countries sympathetic to them faced two grim choices: appeal to whatever humanity existed in the Nazis and hope for mercy, or defy them (violently). This fine film, aptly named, is about the second option and choice — defiance. As such, it’s a study in tenacity and heroism, a modern example of the old Biblical tale of David and Goliath, David with his slingshot and stones versus Goliath with his panzers, flame throwers, mortars and machine guns. Of course the weapons of modern David are rifles and other guns, not slingshots, but he’s still massively outgunned by the German terrorists. The story is also true, or largely true. It took place in the forests of Belorussia (Belarus) beginning in 1941 when the Einsatz-Gruppen (Nazi extermination forces) began sweeping through Eastern Europe to round up Jews, Gypsies, partisans — anyone who stood in the way of their glorious One-Thousand-Year Reich, which actually fell short of the mark by 988 years. The Nazi round-ups were pogroms. No justice, trials, sentencing. Just swift, expedient, immediate mass murder — 300,000 killed within the first weeks of Operation Barbarossa, a million others interred for deportation to slave labour camps, their property stripped from them and stolen by the Reich, though the Nazis preferred the term ‘appropriated’ to that of ‘theft’, euphemisms as usual cleansing actions of their sins.Daniel Craig is Tuvia Bielski, the eldest brother of Alexander (nicknamed Zus), Asael and Aron. The brothers have no illusions about what is happening. They are Jewish and marked for death or deportation, their parents dead already, murdered on the family farm either by Germans or local Belorussian officials working for the Nazi regime. Tuvia seethes with rage. With no recourse to justice from the state, he takes matters into his own hands as judge and executioner. The first to fall are a corrupt Belorussian policeman and his two adult sons, shot by Tuvia at their kitchen table during dinner. It’s awful and messy but it had to be done, as they murdered his parents for blood money, or tipped the Nazis off to do it.The farm and village where the Bielski brothers live is surrounded by mountains and forests. They know the land well — every valley, stream and cave — having grown up on it. If they must become guerrilla fighters, this terrain is perfect for the task, a place of ambush with pre-determined escape routes. So their greatest defence is both the forest itself and their intimate knowledge of it, their main hope against grim odds.What else can save them? Faith and determination, certainly. But also community, the solidarity that comes from a cause shared by many others. There’s a long irrational tradition and history of criticising the Jews for their clannishness, but nothing comes out of nothing. The history of persecution against the Jewish people is real. The Christian Crusades in the 11th century led to horrific pogroms against them across Europe, especially in England, France and Germany. In Spain, where they had assimilated over many generations, a final cruel blow came in 1492 when they were expelled from Iberia along with the Moors (who had been tolerant of them, appreciating their talents and gifts). This terrible act by the Christian monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella created a diaspora that made the Jews homeless and stateless for several more centuries. So the Bielski brothers and those in their forest community are products of history, wholly aware of the dangers that surround them. Their survival will depend on their commitment to one another.At first the brothers are alone in the forest, this rugged place they know well from childhood games played in it, and also as adults as woodsmen and woodcutters. If not the farm then the forest, both places home to them. But they are not alone. Other families have fled into the trees for camouflage and protection. They don’t know how they’ll survive but the isolation gives them a sense of security, unlike the towns where any contact with Germans can be lethal.Tuvia is the eldest Bielski brother, so a sense of leadership falls to him. He can handle it, yet he does so reluctantly as other families join his. He can be responsible for his own family, he feels, but not for the scores of strangers his group invariably attracts. Yet as time passes he comes to see his family not as a group of four in isolation but a larger collection of vulnerable souls. In this sense the film is also spiritual and religious, the symbolism unmistakable. A stream runs through the forest which leads to a river. Later in the story these refugees (hundreds of them) will have to cross that river and wade through boggy terrain to reach further refuge. It may not be the Red Sea and Tuvia is not Moses, but there are shadings of both in the landscape, man and situation. He leads and the people follow, placing their trust in him. Circumstances, not personal choice, have made him a hero. He can’t escape the hand fate has dealt him.Tuvia and Zus (Liev Schreiber) are close in age. As boys they played rough together, wrestling and sparring outdoors. Their rivalry made them strong, and even now they fight. In one scene they come to blows in the forest, bloodying one another in a power struggle, a display to see who will lead. Zus is hotheaded, impulsive, vengeful, his rage understandable, as the Nazis have murdered his wife and daughter. His lust for German blood sustains him now. Tuvia grieves for Zus and his horrific loss but fights against his own impulses to react as Zus does, knowing that vengeance alone cannot save them. In fact, it could very well destroy them. A cooler, calmer, deliberate approach is needed. The others feel this too, so it’s Tuvia, not Zus, who will lead.Unsurprisingly, Zus cannot stay. Though he loves Tuvia, he cannot follow him. He is too proud, stubborn, independent. He must seek his own way to endure. He does so by becoming a partisan, joining a unit of the Soviet Red Army in Belorussia. He will fight the Nazis now with greater firepower, killing as many of them as he can.As the forest group grows Tuvia lays down the unwritten laws. He nows rides high on a white steed, a mounted leader in charge. His rules are simple and ironclad:Everyone must work: building shelters, digging ditches, mending clothing, collecting food. Everyone, including the women, must learn how to handle firearms, aiming effectively to kill, as no prisoners are to be taken. Everyone is equal in the sharing of food and clothing. Love and sex are allowed, but not pregnancies, as the caring for babies is too precarious and difficult. No one is allowed to defy these rules. If they do, leadership decides the punishment and leadership is Tuvia, not a talking committee that wastes time and vital energy. Simple and clear rules. And, yes, they all proclaim to understand them.But human nature is never so simple. Infractions will occur. A serious one happens during their second winter in the forest, the winter of 1942-43. They are malnourished and starving, down to their last few potatoes. What is to be done? With a heavy heart Tuvia shoots his white steed for the greater good, the health of the people. They are ravenous when the horse meat is cooked and passed round to be eaten. One man takes a greater share and claims it’s his due because he works harder than the others. A fierce argument breaks out. Tuvia intervenes to quell the bad blood rising. But the man is defiant, insisting that he’s right and deserves a greater share. Tuvia asks him to rescind the thought and apologise. But the man refuses, implicitly challenging Tuvia’s authority. Nazi-like, Tuvia shoots him on the spot, problem and issue over. “Throw his body to the wolves”, he says. The people are shocked and frightened, but it’s clear there will be no further insurrections. Cooperation is sacrosanct. That’s what the bullet and blood said.Many other incidents too numerous to mention occur. Food raids of local farms are needed to keep the group alive. Crops and fruits and chickens are stolen or requisitioned. Medicines are needed too, these appropriated at gunpoint.A myth grew up during the Second World War that the Jews went humbly, passively, meekly to their deaths in captivity, herded like sheep or cattle into cattle cars bound for the death camps. It’s true that when surrounded and outgunned there was no option but to submit and hope against hope for the best. But pockets of partisan resistance fought on throughout the war. When Jewish groups could arm themselves they did. The Bielski brothers in the forests of Belorussia were not unique. They are remembered now because their resistance was so dramatic and successful.Both Tuvia, Zus and many others survived. The brothers took ‘forest wives’ during their self-imposed captivity, having lost their civilian wives during the war. Asael, one of their younger brothers, got married in the forest too. His wedding, shown in the film, is both pitiful and beautiful in its pathos. Singing, dancing and a little feasting follow the simple ceremony, these Jews surviving through tenacity, self-belief and brotherhood. The wedding is seen as a celebration of these values, a statement to themselves that even now, amid this terrible atrocity toward civilisation called war, normal life goes on. I found the scene deeply moving.They hold out. The forest community lasts till the end of the war. Irony triumphs by the Jewish triumph of will over the Nazis.After the war Zus got a visa and went with his wife to live in New York. Tuvia followed him later and they went into business together, making a new life for themselves and their families in America. Their story, though little known, is salutary. They refused to countenance evil by bowing to it. Instead, by defying and resisting it, they became the David that destroyed the pitiless Goliath.

This film is the true-story of the Bielski Brothers, Tuvia (Daniel Craig) Zus(Liev Schreiber) and Asael(Jamie Bell) who initiated the movement of at first a few but later over a thousand Jewish people who were going to be immediately killed and robbed by the local Police and Germans or cleared by Nazis of their Jewish populations from their villages and sent to Concentration Camps.The brothers led by Tuvia decided to fight back, to make a stand and although Tuvia and Zus fell out for some little time they did get back together to fight against the common enemy, the Nazis.They all lived in primitive, extremely harsh conditions and it is a credit to their faith and willpower that so many made it through the 3 or more years they had to stay where they were,starting off in the Lipiczanska Forest in Summer of 1941 then moving onto the Nalibocka Forest Camp for the Winter of '41 with little food or proper Winter clothing to wear.Allan Coruner and Mark Feurstein play Shimon Haretz and Isaac Malbi respectively who tease and torment each other throughout the film so add light moments, Alexa Davalos plays one of the love interest and Jodhi May plays Tamara Skidelsky who finds herself pregnant which is AGAINST the orders of Tuvia. What will she do? What will HE DO/ SAY?Edward Zwick is the Director who has somehow been DENIED an Oscar by Hollywood in spite of Directing :- Glory, which I personally think is one of the best Western Movies Ever Made or whatever specialist Genre anyone wants to put it into. Starring D.Washington M.Freeman M.BroderickShakespeare in Love, Traffic, Blood Diamond, Legends of the Fall.

I was intrigued by the fact that it is based on a true story.When the hot water tank bursts, the car won't start and that rather large lady pushes past you in the supermarket queue without saying excuse me and the flu-like symptoms have left you with a bad cough.....we mutter, winge and wonder why the AA are taking so long..why the doctor doesn't seem to realise how uncomfortable you are......so a story like this is rather humbling throwing up the inevitable question...could I live like that, for so long?The acting is fine, the script is ok and the history lesson is much better than school.I ended up buying 3 copies- two for people interested in the history of the Jewish nation and one for someone interested in anything showcasing the talents ofDaniel Craig!I watched the movie with my husband and we gave it a 7/8 out of 10.O yes- it was also cheaper than Tesco!

Excellent depiction of what actually happened. Particularly pertinent at this time

Defiance [Blu-ray] [2008 ]First of all, Amazon service, shipping etc., is excellent. Even the SA Post Office did their job well as I received this package in excellent condition in a maximum of 10 days. This was really great!I saw defiance on the Art Circuit in South Africa and thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, it is depressing at times, but also humorous at others. What makes it quite extraordinary is the passion with which Daniel Craig portrays the role of Tuvia. All the other actors are also playing with a similar passion and I suppose this comes from inside of each actor but also the guidance given by the director, Edward Zwick.I will most likely never understand (humanly) why the 2nd World War had the atrocities it did, as I would not understand current day atrocities in central and other parts of Africa, Middle East, etc. Movies such as Defiance though, tend to remind us that human nature can easily fall into total disarray and people can easily become as animals or barbarians.This is a must see for everyone interested in World War 2, Holocaust or Jewish History. I addition it is also excellent viewing just for the sake of an action, thriller drama with a bit of romance weaved through it.Highly recommended!

Wonderful heartbreaking story well told with fabulous acting.

Olvídate de James Bond. Craig y Schreiber están soberbios en esta historia de resistencia contra los nazis. Por suerte, no es la típica película de nazis, campos de concentración y torturas. No, aquí la acción transcurre siempre en el bosque y muestra cómo más de 1000 personas resisten en el mismo pese a todas las inclemencias.Schreiber da la réplica a su "hermano" Craig magistralmente. Lástima que luce el mismo look que en su papel de Victor, el hermano de Lobezno.... :-)

何とも切ないドラマだ、これが70年前に起こった事実か？古代の「バビロン捕囚」「モーセの出エジプト」ならいざ知らず。日本語字幕なしでよくわかる

Drama um russische jüdische Flüchtlinge im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Perfekt in Szene gesetzt mit einem Daniel Craig, der auf ein Neues beweist, das dramaturgisch noch eine ganze Menge mehr in ihm steckt, als er bisher schon gezeigt hat. Aufgerundet wird das Ganze noch durch einen hervorragenden Liev Schreiber. Story, Darsteller, Drehbuch, Kamera, Musik, Ausstattung, Regie einfach super; ein cineastischer Leckerbissen nicht nur für Daniel Craig-Fans!!!Bild und Ton sowie Special Features sind ebenfalls top.

Excellent product, quick delivery