Saints and Soldiers

I was curious to learn that all the actors and production folks for this film were LDS, and one of the main characters in this movie, Deacon, actually referred to serving his “mission” in Berlin before the war. The movie itself, as one critic put it, has “slack pacing.” Aside from the action at the start and towards the end of the film, most of the film shows the small group of soldiers chatting it up in the woods. I guess this could be considered character development, but it does go to the extreme in that regard. And smoking behind enemy lines would be dangerous—American tobacco smoke was different enough that it would provoke the curiosity of the Germans, who primarily smoked Turkish blends.My main concern about this film is the German revisionist interpretation of what happened at Malmedy. While serving a tour with the US Army in Germany, I had the opportunity to visit Malmedy and its surroundings several times. It is a solemn place where a major atrocity was perpetrated at the hands of SS Kampfgruppe Peiper. As an amateur WWII historian, I know there are plenty of resources available regarding what happened at Malmedy. The Army IG, another Army review board, and a Senate subcommittee all investigated this atrocity, and the conclusions are not so vague. Why the Saints and Soldiers production staff decided to ignore this volume of information is suspect.SS soldiers under Peiper had at least 3 years experience of perpetrating the same atrocities in Russia before they had returned to the West. Both Peiper and his commanding general Sepp Dietrich issued orders that no prisoners were to be taken by the SS during this Belgium offensive—this was to be as much a terror operation as it was a strategic one. And to this point, Kampfgruppe Peiper had already slaughtered an estimated 80 POWs leading up to Malmedy and at least another 184 POWs immediately after the Malmedy/Baugnez incident.Surrounding a tight group of captives in an open field with machine guns and then waiting for an opportunity to open fire was a typical SS tactic. Most of the Malmedy POWs were then dispatched with a shot to the head while wounded. There is a detailed US Army Mortician report dealing with the Malmedy massacre that can be found online. In any case, these type of butchers were NOT the moral equivalent of American POWs on that field, as “Deacon” infers during a speech halfway thru Saints and Soldiers. Trying to justify the atrocities conducted by German soldiers against US POWs at Malmedy and Belgian civilians in Stavelot, by going along with the notion that some prisoners tried to escape, overrides for me any other aspect of this film. The evidence, based on previous actions of this SS unit, is fairly clear that Peiper’s SS had no intention of keeping these prisoners alive during this part of their operations.

Here's the deal,There is maybe a bit too much of cliché' attributes to this excellent low budget "Indie" film. If that's really going to bother you, you might skip this.Here's what I think.CONTAINS SPOILER INFORMATIONThe story is moving, maybe more so if you are a returned Mormon Missionary. I am, so if that offends you, you can skip the rest of this, because you will probably also hate this film. When a young LDS man or woman serves his church away from home, that new place becomes a home for him or her as well. You never lose the love for your real home, but you never lose the love you have for the people you tried to serve. That is where the title of this film comes from. The pivotal character, "Deacon" who served his mission in Berlin, is a fighting GI in Germany. He never doubts where his loyalty lies and kills as many of the enemy as come into his sights. He has a trauma, and later his gun misfires. Later he comes to see the German in his sights was a friend of his from his mission service. Some other convoluted events make all this meaningful and vital.So, here's my take, If my country is ever at war (granted it would never happen) with England, where I served my mission, or Wales my families ancestral home, I certainly know where my allegiance lies. What it means to be "American" is to sever your cultural ties in favor of your ideals. If your ideals aren't "American" and you prfer another place, that is where you should be, it is the essence of who "we" are, is those who want a "more perfect union... dedicated to the principle..." I get that, and agree with it. But would it be a hard thing? Absolutely. It is also a unique attribute of America, that we are the sum of our parts, and the sum of our hearts. As Americans, any time we are at war it is probably with some Americans Ancestral home. During WWII members of the LDS church numbered only in the thousands world wide, which makes the events in the movie both more far fetched and poingnet at the same time. But, that's just my opinion.In any case,I watched this film again yesterday and liked it even better than the first time.3 3/4*

At $780,000 this must be one of the best low budget independent films of the 21st Century. The last half of the movie has four or five dramatic scenes that will rival in intensity any of the Big Entertainment WWII films. Big budget special effects are of course lacking but who cares when you have compelling character development, riveting ‘up close, personal, true to life’ action and a great story. There are a few comic moments to break the tension, too. The LDS slant is subtle and could be true for any missionary work, avoiding preachiness while presenting the tough questions about belief in God amid the horrors of war. The movies’ first half is a bit too typical of the “WWII revisited” movie genre. But it is worth being patient to get to the compelling drama later.

WWII history is a hobby of mine, and I can say I found this film was for the most part pretty realistic--at least for a dramatization of events around the Malmedy Massacre.I was puzzled by a couple of 101st AB ? soldiers in the group that survived the massacre. It was the 82nd AB that was in the area, helping to defend Malmedy and the north shoulder of the Bulge. One of them also mentioned they were at St Mere Eglise, and that also would have been the 82nd AB. The 101st AB was sent to the south, to help defend Bastogne. Can't understand a mixup like that, with most of everything else well done.

The product description for this item includes the phrase 'special edition tin box', which might make you think it's going to come in a tin box. It doesn't. Just a regular plastic DVD box. I can't say I'm that bothered, but if you're expecting a tin - be warned.The film itself claims to be 'based on actual events', i.e. the Malmedy Massacre where scores of POWs were killed in cold blood by SS troops. This does form the starting point for the film, but doesn't really have a bearing on the plot - it's just a reason why four US soldiers, who escaped the massacre, find themselves trapped behind enemy lines and trying to get back to their own side. These four come across a bailed-out British airman, who has vital information and is like something out of 'allo 'allo, and the five make their way through the snow. They bicker amongst themselves, have various close calls with German patrols and befriend a French woman and her daughter, who have an improbably well-stocked larder and neat and tidy house considering its proximity to the front-line. There is also a highly improbable coincidence, before the film ends with quite an exciting sequence as the group attempt to battle through the Germans to their own side.I've noticed other reviews mentioning a religious element to the film, and it's definitely there. Much of the aforementioned bickering is about religion, but when one character uses the phrase 'my Father came and found me' at a critical juncture, you can be in no doubt as to the religiosity of the film. But it's not excessively 'in your face' and doesn't detract from what is a decent, reasonably well-acted WW2 drama.A second disc contains a fairly pedestrian 45-minute documentary about the Malmedy Massacre. I think the Allies were referred to at one point early on as 'divine forces', which is a bit weird, even given the religiousness mentioned above. It doesn't appear to give any special insights, and at least half is devoted to the post-war legal wrangling, which is not exactly riveting stuff. There are also some pretty dodgy-looking graphics.

Saints and Soldiers is a war drama which according to it's sub heading, is based onactual events, namely the horrific murder of over 70 unarmed US soldiers at the hands of anSS Panzer Division in Malmedy, Belgium, during World War 2.It's director, Ryan Little an LDS/Mormon, uses the horror of the Malmedy Massacreto create a watchable, if far fetched theme of US Mormon soldier meets up with GermanMormon soldier on the battlefield.Four US servicemen manage to escape from the massacre and team up with a crashed RAFPilot (Winley) who is carrying information vital to allied commanders.Corbin Allred, a Mormon actor, plays Corporal Greer who stands out from his companions inthat he had been a missionary in Berlin prior to the war. No mention is made as to Greer'sreligious affiliation, but it is not difficult to work out that this non smoking, non drinking, coffeehating soldier is a member of the LDS church.Due to his personal peculiarities, his comrades nickname him The Deacon, which justhappens to be a genuine LDS/Mormon priesthood calling, and we see him sitting apart fromthe others at times, reading what appears to be an LDS Serviceman's edition of The Book of Mormon.After trying to make it past enemy lines on his own, Winley, the RAF pilot returns to camp with a German soldier that he has managed to capture, and we then learn that Deacon knows the German, as he taught his family while he was serving his churchmission in Berlin. So good US Mormon soldier is reunited with 'good enemy' German Mormonsoldier and they chat and pray together. The group let the German soldier go as he has giventhem details of the Nazi Troop Movements in the surrounding area.After a few more skirmishes with the enemy the US comrades finally catch up with their owntroops and pass on the vital information.Whilst the story is a good yarn, in which we learn something of the morality and copingabilities of soldiers under pressure, it is too much to expect an audience to believe thata US Mormon fighting in the Ardennes Forest would bump into the very same GermanMormon that he knew from his missionary days, and happily chat and pray together.The odds for that happening are almost impossible.The only substance to the claim that the film is "based on actual events" is the fact thatthe Malmedy Massacre was in fact true and a war crime.As for the rest, we must accept that the final statement in the credits is true."The characters and incidents portrayed in this motion picture are fictitious".Quality acting from unknown actors, working to a somewhat unbelievable script inthe snowy forests of Utah. I loved it for the implausibility. Not at all typicalof the genre.Released in 2003.Running time approx 90 minutes.Subtitled in English.

Four American soldiers- Gunderson,Kendrick,Gould and Deacon- escape a massacre by German Troops at Malmedy.They meet up with a downed British Pilot who has vital intelligence and together they try to cross through eneny lines to deliver it.Playing like a superior episode of Band Of Brothers(and shot in the self same desaturated palate)Saints and Soldiers benefits from a tight running time(85 minutes)which does nothing to diminish it's emotional power and a good ensemble cast.The action when it comes is both potent and deeply troubling(as it should be)with Ryan Little's direction allowing all the characters to develop convincingly.One or two contrivances and the pilot's odd British accent aside,Saints and Soldiers is a worthy entry into the war genre and what it lacks in spectacle,it more than makes up for in it's potent depiction of the human cost of war.Spend a little extra for this two disc set and you get a worthy doc on the events at Malmedy.For anyone who holds B OF B in high regard this is an essential companion piece.

This is a very well done piece except for a very bad decision the film makers made at the outset. The film starts with a depiction of the massacre at Malmedy in the Ardennes, which suggests that an American prisoner grabbed a gun of a guard and so started the train of events. This was the defence offered by the Germans in a war crimes trial after the war. The trial found that no such event occurred and that the massacre was cold blooded murder. I realise that the film makers may have some artistic licence but to change history like this was a major blow to the credibility of the film for me.It's a shame this was the case. Aside from a couple of obvious but not completely unreasonable plot developments - there's a reason why the group of survivors have to get to their lines as soon as possible and there's also a very unlikely coincidence - the film is otherwise fine. The production values are flawless with weapons, uniforms, vehicles and landscape being very authentic (parts of the Ardennes were steeply wooded). The actors, none of whom I recognised, all put in good performances, and there are good tensions and friendships within the group.All in all there's a lot to recommend this, but I just wish they'd not messed with the accepted facts of the history. When I sat down to write this I was going to give it two stars, but three is fairer given the quality of the rest of the film.

Nothing particularly new story wise, but well acted, well shot and flows nicely. Don't expect another Saving Private Ryan; this film didn;t have the budget for a start, but there are similarities between the 2 films. Worth watching.