Saints and Soldiers
Encyclopedia
Saints and Soldiers is a 2003 drama
-war film
featuring Corbin Allred
, Alexander Niver
, Kirby Heyborne
, Lawrence Bagby
and Peter Holden.
It is based loosely around events taking place shortly after the Malmedy massacre
during the Battle of the Bulge
where several US soldiers and a downed British airman need to reach Allied lines to pass on some vital intelligence.
and the escape of American soldiers from their German captors. During the escape, Deacon (Corbin Allred
) manages to disarm a German soldier but does not shoot him - even at the insistence of medic Gould (Alexander Niver
).
Gould and Deacon are joined by two other survivors Kendrick (Larry Bagby
) and Gunderson (Peter Asle Holden). Gunderson explains it would be better to hide out until the Allies retake the area and the four hide out in an abandoned building. When a German patrol comes along, the soldiers hide under the floor. While there Deacon loosely translates a German message about a downed plane in the area. Leaving after the Germans, the Americans find a British pilot Flight Sergeant
Oberon Winley (Kirby Heyborne
).
Winley explains he has important intelligence
he has to get back to the Allies and the group decide to try and reach the Allied lines some 20 miles away. While on point, Deacon has a hallucination
and breaks down. Gunderson explains that Deacon inadvertently killed two women and six children recently. Gould begins to oppose Deacon for not shooting the German or for being religious, Deacon offers him his Book of Mormon which Gould refuses. Deacon said that Gould is asking too many questions for someone who is not interested in faith.
Shortly afterwards, Kendrick falls through the roof of an old building that had been covered by the snow. Looking for shelter Gunderson enters a house and finds a woman and girl who speak French
, Catherine and Sophie Theary. A snow storm sees Gunderson surmise that the Germans will be pinned down and immobile. He suggests staying the night but Winley insists that he must get the information to the Allied troops and leaves during the storm. The others are sure he will die in the cold.
Catherine brings some bread to the soldiers. While with the soldiers, two Germans arrive and Catherine talks to them. One German starts scouting the building while the other attempts to rape Catherine. She yells, and Deacon kills one German, as the other runs into the woods. Winley arrives back with this German as his prisoner. Deacon recognises the German as "Ruddy" from his time serving an LDS mission in Berlin.
In the morning, Deacon has let Ruddy go, but Ruddy has told them where the Germans lines are and a way to get through them. With captured weapons they set out but soon encounter a small group of German soldiers. Gunderson is fatally shot by a sniper, whom Deacon then kills. More Germans attack and Winley is hit in the leg. During the firefight the Allied group is split in two. While carrying Winley, Kendrick is shot in the stomach and dies. Winley kills the German and when trying to hobble away falls into a river. Deacon and Gould find him. While caring for Winley, Rudolph "Ruddy" Gertz finds them and tells them where there is a jeep, and goes off in the direction of the pursuing Germans.
The three remaining Allied soldiers, now dressed as German soldiers, get in the jeep and head towards the German lines. They manage to talk their way past a German guard (as deacon speaks fluent german from his LDS mission in Berlin) but when they veer towards the American lines the Germans open fire. Speeding towards safety of the American lines (where observers work out they are Allied soldiers) the jeep is overturned by mortar fire. Deacon gives covering fire as Gould and Winley head for safety. Deacon is killed by a sniper but the other two make it through and the important intelligence is passed onto to headquarters.
Gould sees Deacon's body being carried away, he takes out Deacons Book of Mormon, places the photo of Deacon's wife into Deacon's pocket and takes the Book of Mormon accepting it from Deacon because Deacon offered it to him earlier. Gould encounters a now captured Ruddy, nods and then helps an injured German soldier that Gould recognises from the massacre at the start of the film.
. In this commentary, before the massacre
, after a shot of a German soldier lighting a cigarette for one of their prisoners, Whitaker and Little discussed the scene:
Production went smoothly and the film opened at film festivals nationwide, where it won 14 Best Picture Awards. It was the highest grossing film ever produced by Excel Entertainment. It grossed over $1 million.
(founded and densely populated by Mormons
), he served a mission to Berlin
, Germany, every spare moment he is seen reading a small book and the following is said of him by Gunderson:
Hence the reference to 12-14 year old boys who conduct sacrament services within the church who are called deacons. There is some antagonism between Gould and Deacon that comes to the surface several times during the film. But when it comes down to it, they protect each other, regardless of their differences. During an exchange during the film, Deacon offers Gould his Book of Mormon. Gould refuses, and Deacon responds by saying that for someone who isn't interested, Gould sure has a lot of questions. At the end of the film, Gould takes it from Deacon's front, right pocket.
At the same time, the film is produced by Excel Entertainment Group, which is a Mormon company. Thus, one can interpret Gould's taking of Deacon's book as an attempt by the filmmakers to promote a response to athiesm.
The Excel Entertainment Group is heavily influenced by LDS Church and the film's content reflects this. "LDS people see our films as a mirror," Simpson (CEO) says of his products. "But they are also a window into the LDS culture."
by the MPAA
. The director, writers and producer wanted a rating of PG-13. The director had this to say on the commentary track of the DVD when Gunderson is fatally shot:
Some criticism has been leveled against the MPAA rating board with regard to them rating independent films more harshly than those of the large studios. (See also "LDS cinema and MPAA ratings".) Producers edited the film to receive PG-13 for commercial distribution.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
-war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
featuring Corbin Allred
Corbin Allred
Corbin Michael Allred is an American actor, most notably as starring in the 2003 award-winning motion picture Saints and Soldiers, and the 1997–1998 television series Teen Angel....
, Alexander Niver
Alexander Polinsky
Alexander Polinsky is an American actor, voice actor, and singer who is perhaps best known for his role as Adam Powell on Charles in Charge. After the show ended, he has made TV, voice, and movie appearances, as well as working as a mold-maker at a movie prop design studio...
, Kirby Heyborne
Kirby Heyborne
Kirby Heyborne is an actor, musician, singer-songwriter, and comedian known for his work in LDS films.-Biography:Heyborne graduated from Alta High School in 1995 where he was student body president. He served a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dominican...
, Lawrence Bagby
Larry Bagby
Larry Bagby is an American actor and a musician.Bagby was born Lawrence Bagby III in Marysville, California. His father was a member of a dance band. Bagby's most notable roles include:...
and Peter Holden.
It is based loosely around events taking place shortly after the Malmedy massacre
Malmedy massacre
The Malmedy massacre was a war crime in which 84 American prisoners of war were murdered by their German captors during World War II. The massacre was committed on December 17, 1944, by members of Kampfgruppe Peiper , a German combat unit, during the Battle of the Bulge.The massacre, as well as...
during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
where several US soldiers and a downed British airman need to reach Allied lines to pass on some vital intelligence.
Plot
The film begins with the Malmedy massacreMalmedy massacre
The Malmedy massacre was a war crime in which 84 American prisoners of war were murdered by their German captors during World War II. The massacre was committed on December 17, 1944, by members of Kampfgruppe Peiper , a German combat unit, during the Battle of the Bulge.The massacre, as well as...
and the escape of American soldiers from their German captors. During the escape, Deacon (Corbin Allred
Corbin Allred
Corbin Michael Allred is an American actor, most notably as starring in the 2003 award-winning motion picture Saints and Soldiers, and the 1997–1998 television series Teen Angel....
) manages to disarm a German soldier but does not shoot him - even at the insistence of medic Gould (Alexander Niver
Alexander Polinsky
Alexander Polinsky is an American actor, voice actor, and singer who is perhaps best known for his role as Adam Powell on Charles in Charge. After the show ended, he has made TV, voice, and movie appearances, as well as working as a mold-maker at a movie prop design studio...
).
Gould and Deacon are joined by two other survivors Kendrick (Larry Bagby
Larry Bagby
Larry Bagby is an American actor and a musician.Bagby was born Lawrence Bagby III in Marysville, California. His father was a member of a dance band. Bagby's most notable roles include:...
) and Gunderson (Peter Asle Holden). Gunderson explains it would be better to hide out until the Allies retake the area and the four hide out in an abandoned building. When a German patrol comes along, the soldiers hide under the floor. While there Deacon loosely translates a German message about a downed plane in the area. Leaving after the Germans, the Americans find a British pilot Flight Sergeant
Flight Sergeant
Flight sergeant is a senior non-commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and several other air forces which have adopted all or part of the RAF rank structure...
Oberon Winley (Kirby Heyborne
Kirby Heyborne
Kirby Heyborne is an actor, musician, singer-songwriter, and comedian known for his work in LDS films.-Biography:Heyborne graduated from Alta High School in 1995 where he was student body president. He served a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dominican...
).
Winley explains he has important intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
he has to get back to the Allies and the group decide to try and reach the Allied lines some 20 miles away. While on point, Deacon has a hallucination
Hallucination
A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...
and breaks down. Gunderson explains that Deacon inadvertently killed two women and six children recently. Gould begins to oppose Deacon for not shooting the German or for being religious, Deacon offers him his Book of Mormon which Gould refuses. Deacon said that Gould is asking too many questions for someone who is not interested in faith.
Shortly afterwards, Kendrick falls through the roof of an old building that had been covered by the snow. Looking for shelter Gunderson enters a house and finds a woman and girl who speak French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Catherine and Sophie Theary. A snow storm sees Gunderson surmise that the Germans will be pinned down and immobile. He suggests staying the night but Winley insists that he must get the information to the Allied troops and leaves during the storm. The others are sure he will die in the cold.
Catherine brings some bread to the soldiers. While with the soldiers, two Germans arrive and Catherine talks to them. One German starts scouting the building while the other attempts to rape Catherine. She yells, and Deacon kills one German, as the other runs into the woods. Winley arrives back with this German as his prisoner. Deacon recognises the German as "Ruddy" from his time serving an LDS mission in Berlin.
In the morning, Deacon has let Ruddy go, but Ruddy has told them where the Germans lines are and a way to get through them. With captured weapons they set out but soon encounter a small group of German soldiers. Gunderson is fatally shot by a sniper, whom Deacon then kills. More Germans attack and Winley is hit in the leg. During the firefight the Allied group is split in two. While carrying Winley, Kendrick is shot in the stomach and dies. Winley kills the German and when trying to hobble away falls into a river. Deacon and Gould find him. While caring for Winley, Rudolph "Ruddy" Gertz finds them and tells them where there is a jeep, and goes off in the direction of the pursuing Germans.
The three remaining Allied soldiers, now dressed as German soldiers, get in the jeep and head towards the German lines. They manage to talk their way past a German guard (as deacon speaks fluent german from his LDS mission in Berlin) but when they veer towards the American lines the Germans open fire. Speeding towards safety of the American lines (where observers work out they are Allied soldiers) the jeep is overturned by mortar fire. Deacon gives covering fire as Gould and Winley head for safety. Deacon is killed by a sniper but the other two make it through and the important intelligence is passed onto to headquarters.
Gould sees Deacon's body being carried away, he takes out Deacons Book of Mormon, places the photo of Deacon's wife into Deacon's pocket and takes the Book of Mormon accepting it from Deacon because Deacon offered it to him earlier. Gould encounters a now captured Ruddy, nods and then helps an injured German soldier that Gould recognises from the massacre at the start of the film.
Cast
- Corbin AllredCorbin AllredCorbin Michael Allred is an American actor, most notably as starring in the 2003 award-winning motion picture Saints and Soldiers, and the 1997–1998 television series Teen Angel....
as Corporal Nathan "Deacon" Greer - Alexander PolinskyAlexander PolinskyAlexander Polinsky is an American actor, voice actor, and singer who is perhaps best known for his role as Adam Powell on Charles in Charge. After the show ended, he has made TV, voice, and movie appearances, as well as working as a mold-maker at a movie prop design studio...
as Private Steven Gould - Kirby HeyborneKirby HeyborneKirby Heyborne is an actor, musician, singer-songwriter, and comedian known for his work in LDS films.-Biography:Heyborne graduated from Alta High School in 1995 where he was student body president. He served a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dominican...
as Flight Sergeant Oberon Winley - Larry BagbyLarry BagbyLarry Bagby is an American actor and a musician.Bagby was born Lawrence Bagby III in Marysville, California. His father was a member of a dance band. Bagby's most notable roles include:...
as Private Shirley "Shirl" Kendrick - Peter Asle Holden as Staff Sergeant Gordon "Gundy" Gunderson
- Ethan Vincent as Schütze Rudolph "Rudi" Gertz
- Melinda Renee as Catherine Theary - Belgian woman
- Ruby Chase O'Neil as Sophie Theary - Catherine's daughter
Malmedy massacre
Ryan Little (director), Adam Abel (Producer) and Matt Whitaker (writer) give background and insight in to the film and its historicity on the commentary track of the DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. In this commentary, before the massacre
Malmedy massacre
The Malmedy massacre was a war crime in which 84 American prisoners of war were murdered by their German captors during World War II. The massacre was committed on December 17, 1944, by members of Kampfgruppe Peiper , a German combat unit, during the Battle of the Bulge.The massacre, as well as...
, after a shot of a German soldier lighting a cigarette for one of their prisoners, Whitaker and Little discussed the scene:
- Whitaker: "That shot right there, I just thought was so well .... I remember when you and I talked, Ryan, we talked about putting things in there showing a German lighting a cigarette for an American prisoner of war. And with that shot you kind of establish right off that this is not your typical war movie. This is not the bad guys/good guys. We're showing that there were levels and elements of good and bad, you know, in everybody there."
- Little: "Yeah, I think you're right. I think, you know .... When Geoffrey had done so much research on the Malmedy massacre, and presented it as the idea .... There are so many accounts about what happened. And, you know, it's interesting. We didn't know exactly where to kinda, you know, what point of view to take and so I guess we all, as we discussed it, we kinda decided that maybe more of a kinda neutral approach."
Actual events
At the beginning of the film is the text "based on actual events". Besides World War II, the Malmedy massacre and the Battle of the Bulge, the commentary mentions the following events that actually happened to soldiers in World War II:- There was a group of Allied soldiers that hid under the floor of a building while some German soldiers had dinner in the room above them.
- An Allied sharpshooter had shot at, and missed, a German soldier. When that German soldier was later captured, he and the sharpshooter discovered that they were of the same faith.
- A German prisoner of war used some tin foil (that had wrapped something in the meal that he had eaten) to form the figure of an angel.
Historical accuracy
Several members of the 101st Airborne Division are depicted as being present at the massacre. In reality, the 101st was held in strategic reserve by SHAEF at this point in time to recover from combat in Operation Market-Garden. The 101st did not reach the front until December 18 (the massacre was on the 17th), and was sent to Bastogne, far to the south of where Kampfgruppe Peiper operated. Most of the victims were actually from the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion.Production and release
Saints and Soldiers was released on video and DVD in May 2005. First-time director Ryan Little teamed up with actors Corbin Allred, Peter Holden, Alexander Niver, Kirby Heyborne, and Lawrence Bagby, along with a small production team to make the film. It was shot in the forested hills of northern Utah with a budget of less than $1 million. However, through special connections, the production team was able to obtain dozens of re-enactors, extras, and rare period equipment. The film was rated PG-13 for war violence and related images.Production went smoothly and the film opened at film festivals nationwide, where it won 14 Best Picture Awards. It was the highest grossing film ever produced by Excel Entertainment. It grossed over $1 million.
Religious overtones
Although this film can be classified as a film about Allied soldiers during World War II, it can also be generalized to any soldier, from either side of the battlefield. Kendrick, Gunderson and Winley do not make any identifications regarding religion; Gould says that he does not believe in an afterlife. Deacon's religion is identified on the commentary track as the LDS Church. Clues of this are given in the film: he is from Snowflake, ArizonaSnowflake, Arizona
Snowflake is a town in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. It was founded in 1878 by Erastus Snow and William Jordan Flake, Mormon pioneers and colonizers. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 4,958....
(founded and densely populated by Mormons
Mormons
The Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, a religion started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening. A vast majority of Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a minority are members of other independent churches....
), he served a mission to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany, every spare moment he is seen reading a small book and the following is said of him by Gunderson:
- "Deacon's the squarest guy I know. He's from some little backwards town in Arizona. Doesn't drink. Doesn't smoke. He doesn't even like coffee. That's why they call him 'Deacon.'"
Hence the reference to 12-14 year old boys who conduct sacrament services within the church who are called deacons. There is some antagonism between Gould and Deacon that comes to the surface several times during the film. But when it comes down to it, they protect each other, regardless of their differences. During an exchange during the film, Deacon offers Gould his Book of Mormon. Gould refuses, and Deacon responds by saying that for someone who isn't interested, Gould sure has a lot of questions. At the end of the film, Gould takes it from Deacon's front, right pocket.
At the same time, the film is produced by Excel Entertainment Group, which is a Mormon company. Thus, one can interpret Gould's taking of Deacon's book as an attempt by the filmmakers to promote a response to athiesm.
The Excel Entertainment Group is heavily influenced by LDS Church and the film's content reflects this. "LDS people see our films as a mirror," Simpson (CEO) says of his products. "But they are also a window into the LDS culture."
MPAA rating
Saints and Soldiers was originally rated "R"MPAA film rating system
The Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The MPAA system applies only to motion pictures that are submitted for rating. Other media may be rated by other entities...
by the MPAA
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
. The director, writers and producer wanted a rating of PG-13. The director had this to say on the commentary track of the DVD when Gunderson is fatally shot:
- Little: "The majority of the people who bought this are probably aware that Saints and Soldiers, when it was originally rated, received a "R" rating. And as we went through that process, for lack of a better term, went to war with the MPAA to find out what it was that we did that constituted a "R" rating, this was one of those scenes that came to them. And again, it came to personalized violence. They said, you care about these characters, and to see them die in a horrific way is worthy of this rating."
Some criticism has been leveled against the MPAA rating board with regard to them rating independent films more harshly than those of the large studios. (See also "LDS cinema and MPAA ratings".) Producers edited the film to receive PG-13 for commercial distribution.