"Winter in Wartime" is a Dutch film based on a young adult novel of the same name by Jan Terlouw. The protagonist is a pre-teen named Michiel who is the son of a provincial town's mayor during Nazi Occupation in the waning days of World War II. Michiel is ashamed of his father, perceiving that he's too cozy with the Germans but is actually doing the best he can given the dire circumstances of living under Nazi rule. When Uncle Ben, an apparent member of the Resistance, returns home, Michiel is overjoyed that there is at least someone in the family who is actually a "man of action." Later, in a nice twist, we find out that appearances are deceiving.
The bulk of the film concerns a British pilot who is forced to a make a crash landing in the forest and ends up killing a German soldier in order to save himself. Michiel stumbles upon the pilot's hideout and decides to help him. There is a strong scene where Michiel's father is taken away in reprisal for the discovery of the dead soldier, shot by the British pilot. Michiel counts on Uncle Ben who promises to pull some strings; but as we later learn, the father heroically refuses to let someone take his place, and is put in front of a firing squad by orders of the top Nazi commander in the village.
All this is quite educational for a young adult viewer eager to learn more about the Nazis and their modus operandi viz-a-viz the Dutch in World War II. But Winter in Wartime goes awry in the awkward plot machinations served up in the second half of the narrative. Most unconvincing is that chase featuring Michiel and the British pilot, ensconced in an old rickety buggy versus a bunch of Germans in a fast moving automobile. Their escape into the woods simply does not pass the simplest of litmus tests.
Another thing that bothered me was that the German soldiers had a close-up view of Michiel when he was stopped right before their madcap escape. Wouldn't the Nazis back in town have recognized MIchiel from the description, realizing he was the kid who helped the pilot to escape?
Also quite unbelievable is the British pilot's escape, as he moves like an acrobat, on the underside of a well-watched bridge. And do we also need the aside of the sister having a bout of sex with the pilot? No doubt the films' scenarists reasoned that this would be appealing to a young adult audience. Finally, in terms of criticism, things don't move fast enough in the plot to save the pilot. There are just too many visits to the hideaway and when we get to the climactic chase scene, it's a big letdown.
Winter in Wartime does make the welcome point that there were collaborators in Holland during this time. SUPER SPOILERS AHEAD. So it's a welcome twist when the seemingly heroic Uncle Ben morphs into the dastardly friend of the Nazis and must be disposed of by Michiel, who is forced to shoot his Uncle upon threat that he'll be turned into the Nazis by his own flesh and blood.
Winter in Wartime is basically a by-the-numbers treatise on the Nazi occupation in Holland. For young viewers, it's a basic introduction to what the local population had to deal with during this point in history. If only there was more of an attempt to dispense with contrivances in the plot. Had this been done, Winter in Wartime could possibly have approached being a classic.
The bulk of the film concerns a British pilot who is forced to a make a crash landing in the forest and ends up killing a German soldier in order to save himself. Michiel stumbles upon the pilot's hideout and decides to help him. There is a strong scene where Michiel's father is taken away in reprisal for the discovery of the dead soldier, shot by the British pilot. Michiel counts on Uncle Ben who promises to pull some strings; but as we later learn, the father heroically refuses to let someone take his place, and is put in front of a firing squad by orders of the top Nazi commander in the village.
All this is quite educational for a young adult viewer eager to learn more about the Nazis and their modus operandi viz-a-viz the Dutch in World War II. But Winter in Wartime goes awry in the awkward plot machinations served up in the second half of the narrative. Most unconvincing is that chase featuring Michiel and the British pilot, ensconced in an old rickety buggy versus a bunch of Germans in a fast moving automobile. Their escape into the woods simply does not pass the simplest of litmus tests.
Another thing that bothered me was that the German soldiers had a close-up view of Michiel when he was stopped right before their madcap escape. Wouldn't the Nazis back in town have recognized MIchiel from the description, realizing he was the kid who helped the pilot to escape?
Also quite unbelievable is the British pilot's escape, as he moves like an acrobat, on the underside of a well-watched bridge. And do we also need the aside of the sister having a bout of sex with the pilot? No doubt the films' scenarists reasoned that this would be appealing to a young adult audience. Finally, in terms of criticism, things don't move fast enough in the plot to save the pilot. There are just too many visits to the hideaway and when we get to the climactic chase scene, it's a big letdown.
Winter in Wartime does make the welcome point that there were collaborators in Holland during this time. SUPER SPOILERS AHEAD. So it's a welcome twist when the seemingly heroic Uncle Ben morphs into the dastardly friend of the Nazis and must be disposed of by Michiel, who is forced to shoot his Uncle upon threat that he'll be turned into the Nazis by his own flesh and blood.
Winter in Wartime is basically a by-the-numbers treatise on the Nazi occupation in Holland. For young viewers, it's a basic introduction to what the local population had to deal with during this point in history. If only there was more of an attempt to dispense with contrivances in the plot. Had this been done, Winter in Wartime could possibly have approached being a classic.