A Hidden Life (2019 film)

Austrian peasant farmer Franz Jägerstätter (August Diehl), born and brought up in the small village of St. Radegund, is working his land when war breaks out. Married to Franziska (Fani) (Valerie Pachner), the couple are important members of the tight-knit rural community. They live a simple life with the passing years marked by the arrival of the couple's three girls. Franz is called up for basic training in the German army and is away from his beloved wife and children for months. Eventually, when France surrenders and it seems the war might end soon, he is sent back from training.

With his mother and sister-in-law Resie (Maria Simon), he and his wife farm the land and raise their children amid the mountains and valleys of upper Austria. Many scenes depict cutting and gathering hay, as well as the broad Inn River. As the war goes on, Jägerstätter and the other able-bodied men in the village are called up to fight. Their first requirement is to swear an oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Despite pressure from the Mayor and his farm neighbors, who increasingly ostracize him and his family, and from the Bishop of Salzburg, Jägerstätter refuses. Wrestling with the knowledge that his decision will mean arrest and even death, Jägerstätter finds strength in his faith in God, his prayers and in Fani's love and support. Jägerstätter is taken to prison, first in Enns, then in Berlin and waits months for his trial. During his time in prison, he and Fani write letters to each other and give each other strength. Fani and their daughters are victims of growing hostility in the village over her husband's decision not to fight. Fani is eventually able to visit her husband in Berlin.

After months of brutal incarceration, his case goes to trial. He is found guilty and sentenced to death. Despite many opportunities to sign the oath of allegiance, and the promise of non-combatant work, Jägerstätter continues to stand up for his beliefs and is executed by the Third Reich in August 1943, while his wife and three daughters survive.

The film's original score was composed by James Newton Howard and features violinist James Ehnes, who had also performed with the composer on his violin concerto released in 2018.[13][14] It was released by Sony Classical Records on December 6, 2019. Speaking about the score, Newton Howard stated that "It is a spiritual sounding score... Terry often spoke about the suffering inherent in love, and you feel yearning, suffering and love in that piece" The score features 40 minutes of original score mixed with selected classical works by Bach, Handel, Dvorak, Gorecki, Pärt and many others. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London in one day in June 2018 with a 40-piece string section conducted by Pete Anthony with Shawn Murphy as score mixer.[15]

All music is composed by James Newton Howard, except where noted.

Not listed

• Henryk Górecki Symphony No. 3, Op. 36 Lento-Cantabile

A Hidden Life premiered in competition at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2019.[16] The following day, the film was acquired by Fox Searchlight Pictures for $12–14 million.[17][5] The film screened at the Vatican Film Library on December 4, 2019, with Malick making a rare public appearance to introduce the film.[18] It was released in limited release in the United States on December 13, 2019 followed by a wide release in January.[19]

On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 81% based on 227 reviews, with an average rating of 7.39/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Ambitious and visually absorbing, A Hidden Life may prove inscrutable to non-devotees—but for viewers on Malick's wavelength, it should only further confirm his genius."[20] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100, based on 43 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[21]

Peter DeBruge of Variety writes: "Whether or not he is specifically referring to the present day, its demagogues, and the way certain evangelicals have once again sold out their core values for political advantage, A Hidden Life feels stunningly relevant as it thrusts this problem into the light."[22] Jägerstätter biographer Erna Putz was touched by the spirituality of the film after a private screening in June 2019, stating that Malick has made an "independent and universal work". She also considered Diehl and Pachner's performances to be accurate to who Franz and Franziska were ("Franz, as I know him from the letters, and Franziska, as I know from encounters.").[23]

• Official website
• A Hidden Life at IMDb