This week I saw "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," based on a book written by the Irish novelist John Boyne - he drafted the outline of the book in less than three days. The story revolves around an 8-year old boy who moves from early World War II Berlin with his father, mother and sister to a place in the country. This is a new assignment for his father, a senior officer in the SS, who has been made commandant of a killing concentration camp. The family does not know about this and lives a short distance from the camp in a secluded, beautiful house where the father also keeps his office. The boy is a typical 8-year old and takes to exploring. He encounters the barbed wire fence he believes is to keep the animals out of the farm he has been told is on the other side. He meets and befriends a 8-year old Jewish boy who is a prisoner. The story is about their friendship, betrayal and renewed friendship. The story of innocent youth is well dramatized and the end comes so quickly and with such devastation that when the picture ended no one in the local audience moved. The credits rolled for several minutes showing us the minutiae of even who the electrician was before anyone got up and left. It made such a strong impact. I recommend it highly.
(PS: I apologize if you receive this twice. I sent an earlier e-mail to family and friends but did not intend to load up your inbox.)
