Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16785 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-10-18
• Rating: Exempt
• Formats: Black & White, PAL
• Original language: French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 249 minutes

Synopsis
THE SORROW AND THE PITY is one of the greatest documentaries ever made, delving into the Nazi occupation of France. Director Marcel Ophuls interviewed dozens of French, British, and German citizens, including soldiers, former Nazis, members of the resistance and collaborators. The result is an amazing portrait of ordinary people in extraordinary, and terrible, conditions. Incidentally, Woody Allen paid recurring homage to it in ANNIE HALL.

Customer Reviews

A Masterpiece
A film that inspired so many other directors and often referred to as one of the great films of all time, Le chagrin et la pitié, to use the film's French title, was made for French television in 1968 by Marcel Ophüls but the broadcasters refused to show it, so disturbing were the contents thought to be. Ultimately it received a limited release, mainly being shown in "art house" cinemas where it's reputation spread. The film was eventually broadcast on French television in 1981.

This masterpiece, running at over 4 hours and divided into two parts dealing with the occupation of France and the choices made by the French people during the occupation, is a time capsule. Consisting mainly of interviews, interspersed with archive footage, the film was made when the participants - French, German and British - were still alive and the memory of the events still fresh in their minds. Their stories - the collaboration and the resistance, the attitudes and perspectives of real people - render this period of French history together into a profound and thought provoking film that will give all who see it pause for thought. Historical amnesia benefits no one.

The subtitled film is divided into two clear halves conveniently split over 2 DVDs. This edition includes an interview conducted in 2004 with the director.

Great subject...shame about the subtitles
If you are a native English speaker with only a rudimentary knowledge of French as I have, you will struggle with this film. This version was made for English speakers as the subtitles are only when the French or Germans are speaking. But, for some reason, the subtitles drop off or malfunction about 25% of the time. This leaves a very frustrated viewer as entire subjects can be left hanging.
The subject matter is excellent though some of the interviews are a bit drawn out. Very artistic filming of those being interviewed which helps make the four hours interesting.

Very interesting if you know about the occupation.
I have a lot of books about WWII, the occupation, the collaboration. I have books written from several sides, even from the side that defends the existence of a French Civil War from 1940 to 1944. In this documental you will know a bit about the *real* resistance fighters (very few of those so called resistants or maquisards where real fighters until 1944), about the "collabos" and the idea of the war they have in England in the time where the French legitimate government were the Vichy one and De Gaulle was a noisy general exiled in England.

It's very interesting because you can hear the point of view of people whose live was better with Petain. IT seems that they don't exist.

The English non-native speakers probably would like -as I do- a whole subtitle work, because when the audio is in English there is no subtitle.