The Silent Village (1943)
Directed by Humphrey Jennings
Genres - Drama, War |
Sub-Genres - Propaganda Film |
Release Date - Sep 30, 1943 (USA - Unknown), Sep 30, 1943 (USA) |
Run Time - 35 min. |
Countries - United Kingdom |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
This 35-minute wartime documentary is another excellent effort from the British Ministry of Information. With remarkable understatement, The Silent Village recounts one of WWII's most appalling acts of brutality: the destruction by the Nazis of the Czech village of Lidice, and the wholesale slaughter of its male population. A onetime mining village, Lidice is compared to the Welsh mining town of Cwmgiedd. The message: if the Nazi juggernaut isn't crushed as soon as possible, towns like Cwmgiedd may well face the same fate as poor Lidice. For box-office purposes, the film includes plenty of "local color," including a performance by the Welsh village's church choir.