Silent Night in Algona

Silent Night in Algona is another story of the many untold in cinema from the World War 2 years. A (true ) story told in much use of the beautiful Iowa landscape.

A tumble weed of drama about a family and it's farm looking to enlist German POWs to tend to it's much needed labor. An assortment of characters with colorful personalities, some butt heads and others cheer with one another in a time of hardship and thanks.

The story is told with much clarity, I didn't find myself confused at any point.

Acting was generally good. The leads and strong supporting cast set the bar where as the day player actors often looked blank -- void of emotion and seemed as if waiting their turn to regurgitate scripted dialogue. Carl Dillard whom played William, though, was quite an exceptional performance. I very much enjoyed his character portrayal. Some other actors tried to milk moments that didn't need to be milked, some were too flashy and overboard, and some were down right annoying and unpleasant. But overall the mixed bag made it work for me. DJ Perry is another actor you really couldn't go wrong with.

I thought it was a genuine and interesting true story that I didn't know about. Being the grandson of a grandfather that faught with Patton's army in the war and annually examining his loot and written letters during the war has always had me looking for untold stories of that time so that they could be peiced together to complete the puzzle.

While the premise of this movie is interesting it is however squandered by a much too long run time, too many characters, questionable special effects, a unlikeable lead character followed by some less then acceptable performances.

If anything, this could have been a really good episode of Rod Serling's the Twilight Zone. It would have benefitted from a shorter run time, tighter scope and a focus on the interpersonal relationships of the prisoners and townspeople following in the footsteps of Serling's writings.

We did not get that unfortunately. This movie was trying too hard to do it all and it didn't need to be. I left the theater thinking what could have been, it had potential.

I love when forgotten true stories are brought to the screen! Tony Hornus does an outstanding job of directing DJ Perry's inspirational script. There are great performances throughout- especially the ones done in German with English subtitles which doesn't always play out well. Great great film that you can take the whole family to! The musical score compliments every scene and adds so much to what you are experiencing- the director of photography does a brilliant job of capturing the actors in a classic old Hollywood manner/ you feel like you are watching a Bogart and Bacall film in many scenes.

In a world where film 'ratings' often are based on the bizarre or the wicked, comes a true story where genuine humanity and relationships prevail during a dark and difficult time in our nation's history.

Discover the 'little known' story of a small rural Iowa town where a World War II prison camp housed thousands of young soldiers, far from their German homeland. Meet the families from the community who are suffering economically and without their own soldier men and sons available to support their farming and harvest operations.

And experience the relationships that are forged when 'enemies' are thrown together to help one another through difficult times.

Relationships from that time have endured generations. The amazing half-life size Nativity Scene (gift from the prisoners) is still viewed by thousands each year. See the film, visit the community, and immerse yourself in a heart-warming depiction of a historic tale that the news headlines did not cover.

My side against your side, my country against your country. And the protection of one's country and families can become brutal.

Good work at presenting the various characters and various inner conflicts that each had to work through. I applaud the use of the German language with subtitles. The authentic language is a large part of the culture. To his credit, the director honors the culture, other than American in this film.

As the plot goes, I wish the young man who tried to attract Keitz' wife was trying to sell her something, like the latest clothes washing machine, or a job that promised her success and money. Although I know there are some phony preacher types. The film direction shows the conflict between the man working with his hands, and not attending church with her, and the man of ideas and words that she hears at church. The preacher's demonstration of Christian faith is strongly skewed in the "holier than Thou" stereotype. A young preacher wants to impress a young woman, and she falls for the image "better than her man". A man with a disability is challenged to exercise his manhood, with resistance at home and in the community. The young wife has her own lesson to learn about the faith.

I applaud the presentation of the values of the U. S. military as they are upheld. We have seen incidents of the criminalization of segments of the military, in various countries, in WWII and the Vietnam War for example. This happened in the German military on an unprecedented scale in the Jewish Holocaust of 1942-1944. The film director did not minimize the reality of this. The guilt conflict of one POW was shown in a powerful way.

The film direction illustrates discipline from the U. S. military, when an officer or soldier's ethical conduct is below standard.

In a world of grey, routine days, human conflict is common. Humans need to clarify their values, and to act on them.

Institutions like the military also reflect this challenge. Values of human dignity, faithfulness in marriage, and the proper use of armed force are upheld in this film, to the credit of its director.

Whereas some would advocate for us to forget the past, this film helps us reflect also, on our present challenges.

Often there is a personal struggle as well as a struggle in relationship. This film shows many different characters, and the groups they were part of, in this process: the townspeople, families, the POWs as a group and as individuals.

Character change is not easy to show in a film, and with so many characters. I think the American colonel and captain could act, show more inner struggle, from beginning to end, to pull this off well.

Congratulations on the courage to present the historical account and show human conflict, and interpersonal conflict in so many characters, in a very tough time in world history.

A good movie before Christmas, reminding us of our common humanity and need.