During the harrows of WWII, Jo, a young shepherd along with the help of the widow Horcada, helps to smuggle Jewish children across the border from southern France into Spain.
Noah Schnapp
Jo
Thomas Kretschmann
Korporal
Frederick Schmidt
Benjamin
Tómas Lemarquis
Leutnant
Gilles Marini
Papa
Elsa Zylberstein
Maman
Joséphine de la Baume
Madame
Sadie Frost
Madame Jollet
Jean Reno
Henri
Urs Rechn
Hans
Anjelica Huston
Horcada
Declan Cole
Hubert
Enola Izquierdo Cicuendez
Leah
Amandine Rose
Christine
Mathys Gallet-Lartigue
Lukas
Laurent Pedebernard
Monsieur Jollet
Jean-François Balmer
Narrator
Dolma Raisson
Anya
Raj Awasti
Soldier
Kevin Kain
The Fat and Stupid Man
Lukas Sauer
Hans
Sylvain Bressolles
Passerby
Patrice Yan
Soldier
Michael Morpurgo
Farmer
Steffen Wild
Soldier
Alan Latham
Soldier
Paul Stephenson
Soldier
William Abadie
Father Lasalle
Nicholas Rowe
Monsuier Sarthol
Director, Writer
Ben Cookson
Novel
Michael Morpurgo
Script Editor
Charles E. Savage
Writer
Toby Torlesse
July 24, 2023
6
Anjelica Huston is the widow "Horcada" who has for quite a while been serving as a conduit to help escaping Jewish and French citizens across the Pyrenee mountains and into the safety of neutral Spain. The arrival of a small but menacing Nazi detachment in their village, however, makes this task even more perilous - and she is fast running out of allies. It's at this point that she turns to the young "Jo" (Noah Schnapp) who is more accustomed to herding sheep, and soon he is providing an essential link trying to get the escapees to freedom. The story here is not that unfamiliar, but there is a solid effort from the engaging young Schnapp and the writing does try to humanise the occupiers - largely via the persona attributed to the corporal (Thomas Kretschmann) - as the story gradually develops. Tómas Lemarquis exudes a fairly subtle degree of menace as their commander and a solid supporting cast including Jean Reno and Sadie Frost help keep this nicely shot, if largely unremarkable and maybe just a bit too wordy, drama moving along to the only denouement we were ever going to get. It is a nice, feel-good, film that makes for a perfect afternoon tea and biscuits watch. Don't expect anything gritty or harrowing, just enjoy some stunning cinematography and a few characterful leading performances.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00