In the time period between 1978 and 1998, Terrence Malick did not release a directorial feature. The twenty year hiatus was broken by a striking WWII movie, the adaptation of James Jones’ 1972 novel The Thin Red Line in 1998, and a flurry of films came in the twenty years that have followed, all to varying success and critical reception. Malick won the prestigious Palme d’Or in Cannes (and the Golden Bear in Berlin) with The Tree Of Life back in 2011, and four full features have released in the years since, none of which quite matched the same dizzying heights. The filmmaker returns in 2019 though, circling back to themes of the second World War with A Hidden Life, a near three-hour, often impressive opus, also debuting in-competition as part of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival from which we review.
It has been said that Malick has returned to a more structured, tighter narrative with this new film, and although this is indeed true, the expansive running time also sees the filmmaker biding his time with delivery. The true story revolves around Franz Jägerstätter, a farmer who lives with his family in a remote village in rural Austria. It is 1943 and, under Nazi rule the Germans have made it mandatory for all Austrians to pledge allegiance to Hitler and serve in the war when called for duty. Jägerstätter is indeed called upon, but when he refuses to pledge the oath to the führer, he is sent to Berlin’s Tegel Prison, where he awaits his fate.
Meanwhile, back on the family’s farm in Austra, Jägerstätter’s wife Franziska (Valerie Pachner) is struggling to keep up with the demands of daily life. As well as three young children to look after, all of them at mischievous ages and demanding of constant attention, there are also the duties on the farm. Constant physical labour is called upon, and then there’s the lack of the support of the fellow villagers, all of who make their feelings known by slinging mud and making life altogether bloody miserable when news reaches them of Jägerstätter’s defection. The journeys of both Franz and Franziska are are explored thoroughly in Malick’s script, the two almost entirely apart, though always in constant contact as letters are exchanged throughout Franz’s imprisonment.
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As stated previously, Malick is in no hurry to move things along, and we spend the first hour with the couple at home going about their daily life, the filmmaker slowly building the bond between the two, and their children, and the fellow villagers amongst the close community. All of the first third is important to the story working, of course, and despite its slightly plodding nature I never once minded and always remained engaged in the story. Malick doesn’t offer anything in the way of on-screen violence either, preferring to imply than display. He does this through clever wide-angle photography and clever editing, a style that comes into its own in the final reel. The music is beautiful, James Newton Howard delivering one of his best scores in an already glittering career. It is stunning.
There are also fleeting appearances from the likes of Matthias Schoenaerts and Jürgen Prochnow, as well as the final on-screen appearances from two of Europe finest actors of their generation, Bruno Ganz and Michael Nyqvist. It is, however, Diehl and Pachner who are most deserved of praise as they really carry the movie in two demanding roles that should see their star rocket.
The only negative I would bring up is that despite the subject matter, the family focussed aspect of the narrative and the devastating conclusion, I wasn’t completely emotionally invested as I expected to be. That’s not to say I didn’t feel anything, but perhaps I was braced for more.
It is safe to say though that Malick is indeed back. He’s crafted a swirling, beautifully crafted, technically perfect, epic feature and, while it could have been a little shorter in length, the filmmaker has used the space wisely and effectively. I really liked it.
A Hidden Life was reviewed at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
