Page 98 - All About History - Issue 38-16

HISTORY HOLLYWOOD
VS

Fact versus ‰ ction on the silver screen

DEFIANCE

Director: Edward Zwick Annaud Starring: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell Country: USA Released: 2008
Does this divisive World War II thriller defy the story it’s based on? VERDICT Artistic licence gets the better
of this frustratingly inconsistent account
WHAT THEY GOT WRONG… WHAT THEY GOT RIGHT…

Daniel Craig plays Tuvia Strangely, Zus (Liev Worse still, there’s little The climax of the Tuvia’s reputation as a fearless and respected
01 Bielski, the eldest of the 02Schreiber) is portrayed 03evidence Zus left the 04 film shows a battle leader who focused solely on saving Jewish lives
four brothers. In the film, he in the film as being the second group to join the Soviet partisans, between the Bielski group and is accurate, as is Zus’s pure and vitriolic hatred
is shown as having the skill to oldest brother, whereas in real especially to the degree the a Wehrmacht tank – this never of the Nazis. It is also accurate in its portrayal of
converse in Russian to a Soviet life, Asael (Jamie Bell) is the film depicts. In the entirety of happened. The brothers and the Bielski brothers smuggling other Jews out of
partisan leader, despite the real second oldest sibling. The reason Defiance, the tension between their followers were freedom the ghettos and into the dense Naliboki forest in
Bielski only actually being able for this can only be to add to the brothers is exaggerated, as is fighters but never engaged search of a safe haven.
to speak a broken form of the the distress caused by Zus’s Tuvia’s distress when he kills a a tank, preferring, and often
language at best. defection to the Soviet partisans. Nazi-collaborating policeman. limited to, sneakier methods.

© Alamy

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