SOPHIE SCHOLL is a devastating action film in the purest sense of the word: that is, a film about action, "the process of doing something." No one can argue that the real life Sophie Scholl did something.
Sophie was arrested in February 1943 for distributing leaflets that were critical of Hitler. She was 21 years of age. She and her brother Hans were hauled off for questioning, and the film is based on recently released transcripts of the series of interrogations conducted by the Gestapo with Sophie.
Because of the charged subject matter, one's reaction to SOPHIE SCHOOL is bound to be inextricably tied to personal experiences. Purely on cinematic terms, the film is electrifying.
Director Marc Rothemund allows the material to speak for itself without resorting to camera tricks or overt sentimentality. His resume, at least on paper (television shows and two comedy features, LOVE SCENES FROM PLANET EARTH and ANTS IN THE PANTS), would not seem to lend itself to the drama on display. But he stays out of the way during the extended, very tense exchanges between Sophie (exquisitely rendered by Julia Jentsch) and Gestapo investigator Mohr (given a recognizable glint of humanity by Gerald Alexander Held) that form the bulk of the running time.
As bridges between the interrogations, there are gentle conversations between Sophie and her Communist cellmate Else Gebel (Johanna Gastdorf). The final act features another galvanizing performance by Andre Hennicke (ANTIBODIES, ANGST). Fabian Hinrichs provides strong support as Hans Scholl.
What struck me about SOPHIE SCHOLL is that it's the rare picture in which a person of strong personal convictions and religious faith (Sophie was devoutly Protestant) has been portrayed with respect. She never wavers in her faith nor in her belief that she is doing the right thing. She doesn't want to die, but neither is she willing to compromise her ideals when so much is on the line. And, of course, the fact that she was only 21 is tremendously impressive, nay, even inspiring.
I must admit that, beforehand, SOPHIE SCHOLL sounded like it would be a chore to sit through, an educational obligation rather than a cinematic treat (along the lines of, 'oh, boy, another movie about the evil Nazis'). But Rothemund very quickly draws you in with a secret meeting of the White Rose Movement and from there it's a quick trip to the anxious distribution of the leaflets and the quick arrest. Sophie glances into the sky outside Gestapo headquarters, and as the final days pass, each of her brief looks into the sky become more affecting.
And, even as audiences question whether it's too soon for a movie about 9/11 (witness the debate sparked by Logboy's recent post about UNITED 93), one has to wonder: 60 years from now, will the specter of that day's tragic events still haunt the US consciousness to anywhere near the same extent that the Nazi era affects modern Germany?
It's not entirely easy to sit through SOPHIE SCHOLL, but that's as it should be. It should make one uncomfortable, all this talk about individual responsibility, belief in God, and personal ideals versus government policies. Sixty years later, the subject matter is as relevant as ever.
The official US website linked below provides information about the extensive playdates that have been scheduled by distributor Zeitgeist Films across the country.
Trailer (US). (QuickTime; streaming; nearly identical to original Germany trailer)
Website (Germany). (Various-sized, embedded Flash trailers and teasers also available at the site.)