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(More customer reviews)North Star a fictional Soviet Village on the edge of the Polish/German Border. Life could not be more peaceful or serene for townspeople who are so happy that they often have occasion to break into song. And in this village all the songs are by Aaron Copland and Ira Gershwin. Far from being the "Evil Empire" of the Regan era, the villagers here are boisterous children, loving parents, devoted friends and neighbors. All of them get some opportunity to express how much they love each other and their nation. This bucolic bliss is rudely shattered when the German's begin their blitzkrieg invasion of the region in the Summer of 1941. The village bands together to fight off the tanks and planes of the enemy with horse cavalry and ingenuity. The only hope for the town to repel the invaders is a cache of arms and munitions being delivered by some local teenagers.
For its historical value this really is a must see movie. And if you can find it in the 2.99 bin at the video store, I would urge you to buy it and have a showing with all of the history buffs you know in attendance. Some of my favorite points are :
*The complete glossing over of the Soviet-German Non-Aggression pact or 1939
*The movie mentions that the Germans have occupied Poland but never makes mention of the fact that Russia immediately occupied the other half of Poland thus cutting the German's spoils in half.
* Officially the Soviet Union was a nation of atheists. The movie makers skirt around this potential fault by having some of the characters assume a praying type of posture (head down hands clasped together) as they silently work up the strength to make the needed sacrifices.
Other than as a period piece this movie has nothing to recommend it. The script is so flat that I recall once reading that Lillian Hellman tried unsuccessfully to have her name removed from the credits. The characters are wooden and lifeless manikins who mouth only patriotic platitudes. The songs would also stand a better chance if they too were more than just grist for the propaganda mill.
What is great is to see so many Hollywood stars doing there bit for the war effort. Ann Baxter, Dana Andrews, Walter Huston, Farley Granger, and Jane Winters (later to win fame as Josephine the Plumber) are all featured. They sing and dance and cavort around in regional costumes. In fact every effort is made to ensure that we are left with the opinion that except for the odds names and the quaint outfits, the kids of North Star are just like the kids back in the good old USA. A script like this one makes it very easy for me to believe that Dana Andrews and Farley Granger could be the boy next door !
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Item Name: North Star; Studio:Reel Enterprises
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