War is a tragedy for any country and for any people. In addition to death and destruction, it divides people, divides families, whose members risk never finding each other again. Especially vivid episodes of such situations were manifested during the Second World War, when huge masses of people were moved from one part of Europe or even the world to another. The collective image of thousands of such stories is the plot of the historical drama “Search”.
Synopsis Since the end of World War II, the United Nations Relief and Reconstruction Administration has been doing everything possible to help ordinary citizens liberated from the Nazi regime return to normal life and, above all, to their families. However, the horror of the inhuman cruelty of the concentration camps left an indelible mark on many, as on the little boy Karela, who was found and sheltered by the American military engineer Ralph Stevenson. "Steve" tries to help the boy find his family, but in the midst of complete ruin and confusion, this is not possible. Meanwhile, Karel’s mother, who miraculously survived Auschwitz, goes in search of her son, whom she is afraid to never find.
A distinctive feature of the film are the characters prescribed in the plot, which, on the one hand, can personify the collective images of the consequences of the Second World War, and on the other, look no less alive than it may seem at first glance. First of all, I would like to mention the Czech actress Armila Novotna as the mother of Karel, a woman who lost her entire family in the war, but, despite all the signs of her son’s death, she did not lose hope to see him alive. It is also worth highlighting Ivan Yadl in the role of Karel, who, because of the horror experienced, simply lost all memories of pre-war life, forgetting not only his family, but in principle that he had a mother. Finally, I remember the performance of a very young Montgomery Clift in the role of Ralph Stevenson, who, despite the circumstances, awakened in himself paternal feelings that helped the young hero to heal from the trauma he experienced.
Fred Zinneman was not just considered one of the most significant Hollywood directors of his time. On his account, several films were shot, to this day considered classics of the genre, later even awarded an Oscar. A distinctive feature of his directing was a departure from the traditional postulates of the genre he chose and a great immersion in the inner world of the characters against the background of the most important historical events. We’ve seen this in From Now on and Forever, where we watch the fates of several heroes on the eve of Pearl Harbor, or in Julia, which tells about the relationship of two women involved in the events of the formation of the Third Reich. It’s the same here: we see several heroes who survived the war, but the war didn’t end in themselves, especially in children. The director demonstrates two parallels, as a mother and son, who have not yet found each other, slowly and in their own way move away from the nightmare, gradually returning to a peaceful life and, above all, to the peace within themselves.
Scenario The plot takes place on the territory of the American zone of occupation of Germany after the end of World War II. At one of the many points of the UN Relief and Recovery Administration, a train arrives, full of young prisoners of concentration camps and just refugees, miraculously survivors in the middle of the fighting. Collecting data on each ward in order to reunite them with their families, the workers stumble upon a little Czech Karel, who caught the war and was separated from his family at a very young age, and therefore simply forgot about his family and himself. The ingrained fear and inability to distinguish the shape of American soldiers from the Nazis lead the boy to panic, flight and prolonged hiding in the ruins of the city. Only a sense of hunger gives him away before a young American military engineer Ralph Stevenson, who takes the boy into his care. Meanwhile, in search of the boy goes a survivor of the concentration camp mother, who walked around many shelters and centers, already desperate to ever find her only child. Of course, the viewer is left to wait for a “miracle” when, by chance, they will be able to find each other.
Result In general, “Search” is a good movie about how important it is to remain a person, despite any vicissitudes in life, and how important it is to help others, forgetting all prejudices. At the same time, there is no ostentatious pathos or propaganda of American patriotism in the film. On the contrary, the film promotes the idea of unity, regardless of origin, gender and age. Therefore, it is recommended to view.
8 out of 10