Saints and Soldiers
by Keith Jeffreys
originally published in Sept. 2005 Venice Magazine
The
character-driven narrative of Ryan Little’s first feature film “Saints
and Soldiers” begins with a horrific Nazi war crime, the infamous
WWII “Malmedy Massacre” resulting in the murder of 80 American soldiers
captured by SS troops during the initial phase of the Battle of the
Bulge.
The
unsettling opening scenes depicting the atrocity set the tone for the
remainder of the film. They serve to shock and alert the audience to
questions concerning the complex moral dimension of war Little intends
to explore through the film’s five primary characters admirably played
by Corbin Allred, Alexander Niver, Peter Holden, Kirby Heyborne and
Lawrence Bagby.
“I think
war can blur the lines” says Little responding to a question about the
title. “A uniform does not define the soldier. His actions do. It’s
not simply that you wear that particular uniform so you’re the enemy.
Basically the concept is that you judge a person by their actions not by
their uniform. Those are the questions the movie asks,” he continues.
“What really is a soldier? Is a soldier someone committed to doing
something and goes out and does his duty to the letter of the law? Can
there be a balance between what you find to be morally and ethically
right in a situation like war and still be true to the cause?” A saint,
adds Little “is somebody who is willing to sacrifice all for the greater
good. And I think that the greatest sacrifice that anyone can make is
to give their life.”
While
the title of Little’s film indicates there are not-so-subtle religious
undertones within, he emphasized the breadth of his research in the
development process. “Each character in the film is based upon
characters that I researched and interviewed including people who are
Jewish, Mormon, Seventh-Day Adventists and atheists.”
The
research pays off in a number of ways as the film delves into right and
wrong in the midst of battle. This is the ongoing struggle --
continually heightened by the smaller conflicts between Allied soldiers
fighting for the same cause, yet all faced with the larger obstacles
confronting them, including shell shock, sub-zero temperatures, gnawing,
constant hunger and sleep deprivation that disorient soldiers in ways
few can imagine. All that while facing a battle hardened, often vicious
enemy guided by totalitarian principles hell-bent on destroying them.
Taking
the time to depict those hardships and the soldiers‘ reactions to them
is integral to the process of making a good film, according to Little.
“The thing I realized was that movies rely on character development and
I realized it’s really important to take the time to allow the audience
to bond with the characters,” he says. “Because if you don’t care about
the characters when they die or whatever happens to them, you are just
not going to care. It won’t matter how many special effects or other
factors that have been included.”
Understanding all those factors, Little readily admits an admiration not
just for WWII veterans, but for all veterans. He credits his award-
winning student film, The Last Good War with starting the
process. “After my success with that film I remember talking to a lot of
veterans. Their positive reaction inspired me” he says. “When it came to
my feature debut I wanted to go back to WWII. So especially now, with
the times we’re in, I find it very gratifying. It’s not just about
trying to make money or trying to make it in Hollywood or any of those
things. It’s more about my love for film and the appreciation and
gratitude toward veterans that the actors, crew and I all felt.”
More information about the Malmedy Massacre can be found here:
http://www.scrapbookpages.com/DachauScrapbook/DachauTrials/MalmedyMassacre02.html
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