Saints And Soldiers Review
by Harvey S. Karten (harveycritic AT cs DOT com)October 21st, 2004
SAINTS AND SOLDIERS
Reviewed by Harvey S. Karten
Excel Entertainment Group
Grade: B
Directed by: Ryan Little
Written by: Geoffrey Panos, Matt Whitaker
Cast: Corbin Allred, Alexander Niver, Peter Holden, Kirby Heyborne, Lawrence Bagby
Screened at: Chelsea Cinema, NYC, 10/20/04
What would you think of a soldier in active combat during World War II who does not curse, does not smoke, and eschews
coffee in favor of lemonade? You're on the money if you guessed that the guy is religious and, in fact, Nathan Greer (Corbin Allred), whose army buddies call him "Deacon" because he's so morally upright, is a Mormon. However you won't hear the word "Mormon" mentioned at any time during this hour and one-half pic, though if you're especially observant and a student of world religions, you'll realize that the "Saint" in the title, refers to the Mormon Church, aka Church of the Latter Day Saints. Truth to tell, though, all of the Americans, one Brit and even one German are saints in their way, partly because none of them curse, darn it, and none even dares to say that war is heck.
While this is a feel-good movie, save for the lack of good-old American cussin' there is nothing particularly distinctive, nothing to explain how "Saints and Soldiers" won fourteen awards at film festivals and seven audience-choice prizes. Compared to Spielbergian special-effects pics like "Saving Private Ryan" it's positively static. But the conversation is heartwarming and the little victory for the Allied side is just what we need given what's coming to us daily on CNN and Al-Jazeera from Iraq.
Though there is a fair share of suspenseful action scenes, most of the activity revolves around a small group of allies who escape near Malmedy, Belgium, as German troops massacred eighty-six prisoners of war (a true event). Behind enemy lines are the bible-carrying, lemonade slurping sharpshooter, Deacon Greer (Corbin Allred), a Brooklyn Heights New York medic with a big red-cross helmet, Steven Gould (Alexander Niver), a Louisiana bumbler with the unlikely name of Shirl Kendrick (Lawrence Bagby), and, occasionally giving orders, Sergeant Gordon Gunderson (Peter Holden). To add spark to the proceedings, an RAF pilot bails out of his doomed plane at the very location of the Americans bringing with him a coveted pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes. LS/MFT for those who remember.
Perhaps it's asking too much of American audiences to go for a film with not a single known cast member–which makes this one the ideal vehicles for film festivals at which the movie thrived. Among the scintillating conversations of this pure-mouthed crew is a debate about the afterlife, particularly heated when Steven Gould, an atheist, debates the issue of God's role: does this war mean that He is cruel, or that He is testing our faith in Him? "Saints and Soldiers" is child-friendly, a PG rating more apt than its current PG-13. It's always nice to sit in a dark theater and contemplate the one war that positioned Good vs. Evil, where there was a real enemy identified by soil rather than an amorphous, immoral beast that knows no boundaries, has no rational demands, and shoots schoolchildren in the back.
Rated PG-13. 90 minutes. © 2004 by Harvey Karten
@harveycritic.com
More on 'Saints And Soldiers'...
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
