Standing for truth

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NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Friday, October 17th. Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Nick Eicher.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown.

Coming next on The World and Everything in It: a film on conscience and conviction.

Angel Studios’ latest inspirational World War II drama is the true story of a teenager who defied the Third Reich … and paid the price.

Here’s reviewer Joseph Holmes on the movie Truth & Treason.

JOSEPH HOLMES: Holocaust and WWII movies seem to be having a comeback lately. Last year we had White Bird and Bonhoeffer. This year, Nuremberg and Triumph of the Heart. And that’s not surprising. We’re seeing rising antisemitism and both left and right fear their political enemies are becoming dictators. So the question of “what would you do if a new Hitler came to power” feels eerily relevant.

Angel Studios’ new film Truth & Treason is tackling that question head-on.

SALOMON: I think it’s just a matter of time now.

HELMUTH: I could hide you.

SALOMON: If you go in the house that would be interesting.

HELMUTH: If not there, somewhere else.

SALOMON: I don’t– …I’m German. As much as you are. I’m not going anywhere.

Truth & Treason is in many ways a typical entry of the genre … but in some other ways, it’s far better. The movie follows the real-life story of Helmuth Hübener, a 16-year-old boy living in Nazi Germany. He forms a resistance group with friends Karl and Rudi secretly distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets. And he eventually becomes the youngest resistance fighter to be executed for standing against Hitler.

The film does pretty much everything you expect from a movie like this. But what sets it apart is the implementation. Truth & Treason puts you right in Helmuth’s shoes and takes you step by step, showing, not telling, what it’s like to experience a society turning evil, and how you might be inspired to stand up to it. We see Helmuth being an ordinary boy with his friends, excited to move up at work. We then see—and feel—the moment that Helmuth and his friends’ opposition to the Nazis changes from youthful rebellion to a decision to wage war against evil.

KARL: Will those pamphlets you found in your typewriter change all that.

HELMUTH: A man finds one of these in his mailbox. He reads it. He passes it to his friend. Then another. Then another. Then another.

RUDI: Until enough people read it and stand up. 

The film also gives more time than other films of the genre to the genuine faith of its characters—both those who support Hitler and those who defy him. Helmuth’s bishop argues Christians have to obey their rulers.

BISHOP ZANDER: We believe in being subject to king, presidents, rulers, magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. Would not this include our Fuhrer, and the current laws of the Reich? Each of us must ask ourselves, “Can we pick and choose which of God’s laws we’ll follow? Only the commandments we find most convenient? Or the ones we happen to agree with?

*** However, it’s worth noting that Helmuth isn’t an orthodox Christian. He’s a Mormon… something the movie significantly downplays. In fact, on first watching the film, I didn’t even notice. Angel Studios was founded by Mormons. And I think this is one of those instances in which they're intentionally blurring the lines between Mormons and Christians.

HELMUTH: Jesus was a revolutionary. We like to think of him as always being kind and loving and filled with grace. And he was. But the Scriptures say he was full of grace and truth. He said what needed to be said. He stood up, but He did it peacefully.

While the film implements the typical formula of a WWII hero inspirational drama well, it doesn’t transcend it. It ticks the boxes better than most, but it doesn’t shake up the formula at all. And as the film goes on, the more formulaic it becomes. The climax is particularly guilty of the contrived sentimentality of the genre. For example, in court, Helmuth gives a long inspirational speech that his enemies could have—and probably would have—stopped.

Tales about those who stand up against injustice at great cost are always timely. Truth & Treason doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it will effectively remind you why truth is worth dying for.

I’m Joseph Holmes.

*** Editor's note. This review has been updated for historical accuracy

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