The Sorrow and the Pity (1971)

In the turbulent times between 1940 and 1944, France's Vichy regime found itself entwined with Nazi Germany, a dark chapter in history explored through Marcel Ophüls’ masterful lens. The Sorrow and the Pity weaves together meticulously curated archival footage and poignant interviews from 1969, bringing to life the voices of a German officer, collaborators, and resistance warriors from the shadowed corners of Clermont-Ferrand. They delve into the intricate web of motivations behind this collaboration, from the venomous tentacles of anti-Semitism and xenophobia, the looming specter of Bolshevik terror, to the pragmatic veil of caution. The first segment, "The Collapse," paints an intimate portrait of Pierre Mendès-France, a figure incarcerated for his anti-Vichy stance, who later ascended as France's Prime Minister. Meanwhile, at the epicenter of the second part, "The Choice," lies a revealing discourse with Christian de la Mazière. As one of the 7,000 French youth who donned German uniforms to battle on the eastern front, his story epitomizes the dramatic and often heart-wrenching choices made in this historical maelstrom. The Sorrow and the Pity is a haunting exploration of a time when the lines between right and wrong blurred into indistinguishable horizons, and survival was a gamble of conscience and courage.

The Sorrow and the Pity is a documentary movie featuring Georges Bidault.

The Sorrow and the Pity is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy.

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