The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Dir.Mark Herman.
Perf. Asa Butterfield, Jack Scanlon, and David Thewlis. Mirmax Films, 2008.
Bruno is the son of a german SS officer, Ralf, who
has been given a position at the concentration camp, Auschwitz. The boy and his
family move away from their home in Berlin, and now live in a secluded house in
the countryside. There is so much space to roam around but Bruno is forbidden
to leave the house. He disobeys his parents one day while his mother is busy
and his father is away, and goes into the woods to explore. He comes to a fence
where he meets a little boy in striped pajamas. At the time Bruno does not
realize that the boy, Schmuel, is a Jewish prisoner in the concentration camp,
but is just happy to see another boy his age. They meet at the same spot every
day, and Bruno brings the hungry little boy food. Bruno’s tutor tells him that
the Jews are evil but this does not add up to Bruno because Schmuel is his
friend. His sister, Gretel, on the other hand is a strong advocate of the Nazi
movement, and has become infatuated with SS Lieutenant Kurt Kotler. Schmuel
comes to Bruno’s house one day to clean the crystal, but this trip is short
lived after Schmuel gets in accused of stealing a cookie. Bruno does not know
how to handle the situation, and denies knowing Schmuel when they boy tries to
implore he is innocent. Ralf feels as if the countryside home is not a place
where is family should be after Gretel is told by Kortel that the Germans are
burning the Jews. For the last time, Bruno goes to meet with Schmuel at the
fence feeling bad for getting him into trouble he agrees to help the boy find
his father who has gone missing. Bruno digs a hole and climbs under the fence,
when he gets on the concentration camp grounds he changes into the same striped
pajamas as his friend. As the two are walking around the camp they get swept
into a crowd who are on their way to the gas chambers. The two hold hands as
the gas consumes the chamber they are in. After Bruno’s parents realize what
has happened they are both in agonizing sorrow.
Though Bruno was taught to hate the Jews his companionship
with Schmuel was impenetrable. Perhaps this is because he was so young and
naïve, but either way he loved his friend and knew in his heart Scmhuel wasn’t
evil. The concentration camp was a brutal and sinister place, but Schmuel still
enjoyed his german companion’s company and their place of peace by the fence.
Death and war was everywhere around them but not understanding it all they were
able to become bestfriends. The two loved and trusted one another and died
together in the gas chambers.
