Sophie Scholl - The Final Days (DVD)

This is an excellent production and every attempt has been made to maintain the integrity of the story. The cinemography is excellent and the easy pace of the film serves well to relay to the viewer that this could be anyone's real life, their real story. there has been no attempt to glamourise the events or to paper over the cracks of Hitler's Germany. there is also no attempt to justify or glorify the actions of the main characters. it is a very sad and important story which is told in a matter of fact way, all of which makes it more real for the viewer.
As an avid student of history with a particular interest in this period, I was struck by the efforts of the filmakers to show that Sophie and Hans were real and ordinary people, albeit with a stronger than usual conviction for what they believed in. There are moments of weakness for them too when Sophie in particular loses strength form time to time and struggles to recover herself to face another trial. This is handled in a very honest and believable manner and given the tension and the stress under which they were sufferingis expected to be close to the facts.
The main Nazi characters are also well portarayed, not as simple monsters but as deep thinking and seemingly rational men and women who are equally convinced of their point of view. one of the key scenes in the film is the interchange of views between Sophie and her chief interrogator, Mohle where each jousts with the other on an intellectual level regarding their respective points of view. i believe that Sophie came out the better of the interaction, but this was also handled in a very subtle and believable manner. There was no great awakening on the part of her accusers, no grand changing of hearts and minds. one does percieve a certain uneaseiness on the part of the Nazis as they are continually touched by this young woman who elects to shoulder equal guilt with her brother rather than take the easy way out as offered by Inspector Mohle. The ordinary Germans too who are caught up in serving Nazi society are portrayed as being endowed still with some compassion and empathy. this is not at all common in films of this nature which often tend to demonise even the lowest functionary of the state. in particular the female prison guard is shown to have had some consideration for Sophie Hans and Christoph.
in conclusion i believe this is an important historical film, which is also endowed with all the key features of a superb drama. it has great educational value and young people are given the opportunity to be exposed to a different kind of superhero for the 21st Century, young people who dare to say what is not popular, to speak out against what is wrong and who are prepared to risk all and lose all to preserve justice and truth.