Movies - Saints and Soldiers

Home > Listing Index > Movies > Saints and Soldiers

	Movies - Saints and Soldiers

Saints and Soldiers is a war film released by Excel Entertainment in August, 2004. The movie is about a small group of soldiers who are trapped deep behind enemy lines following the infamous Malmédy massacre that took place during World War II's Battle of the Bulge. The soldiers have vital enemy intelligence in their possession and decide to deliver it to the front lines, over 20 miles away. Success would require surviving the roving German troops and the frigid Ardennes forest. Armed with only one rifle, the men meet obstacle after obstacle, and must deal with the challenges, as well as the tension between their conflicting emotions. Things get increasingly more desperate until the climactic showdown with the German Army that tests the courage, honor, and camaraderie of the men.

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 but talented 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 were able to obtain dozens of re-enactors, extras, and rare period equipment. The film was rated PG-13 for war violence and related images. The Mormon film aims to carry a strong moral and somewhat religious message.

Production went smoothly and the movie 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, and continues to make considerable profit from rentals.

Selected cast and crew

Corbin Allred
as Corporal Nathan "Deacon" Greer
Alexander Polinsky as Medic Steven Gould (credited as Alexander Niver)
Kirby Heyborne as Flight Sergeant Oberon Winley
Larry Bagby
as Private Shirley "Shirl" Kendrick (credited as Lawrence Bagby)
Peter Asle Holden as Sergeant Gordon Gunderson (credited as Peter Holden)
Ethan Vincent as Rudolph "Rudi" Gertz
Melinda Renee as Catherine Theary
Ruby Chase O'Neil as Sophie Theary
Ryan Little: Director
Adam Abel: Producer
Geoffrey Panos: Writer
Matt Whitaker: Writer

Plot summary

The movie opens three weeks after the Malmédy massacre (presumably January 14 - January 15, 1945) with American forces documenting the scene and recovering the bodies. Exposition is provided by a radio broadcast from London explaining what has happened and that those responsible will be found and dealt with appropriately.

The movie then goes to the day of the Malmédy massacre, December 17, 1944. The four initial, main characters receive some screen time, and all but one have some dialog as they stand in a group as prisoners of war. Suddenly, one of the unnamed soldiers breaks from the group and attempts to escape. A German soldier screams for him to halt, and when he doesn't, he's gunned down. The remainder of the prisoners become restless, and a German officer fires a few bursts into the air. In response, a panic begins to break out. During a sudden scramble, an Allied prisoner grabs a rifle from a German soldier and shoots him with it. Another German, in turn, kills that man. As a result, some of the prisoners break to run, while a few try to stay put and keep calm. But when the Germans open fire on the prisoners, the entire group of Allied prisoners break and run. (See Malmédy massacre for more information.) Roughly half of them make it to the woods.

A German soldier manages to find Gould and another soldier hiding in the woods behind a fallen tree. The two surrender but the German shoots the other soldier with Gould, so Gould takes cover again. As the German is slowly advancing in order to shoot Gould, Deacon jumps the German and takes his rifle. The German surrenders, and Deacon lets him run off into the woods. Gould protests this by insisting that the German should have been killed. This sets up the initial tension between Gould and Deacon.

Back at the site of the massacre, two Germans are seen shooting survivors. The Germans then leave in a convoy. Kendrick, who has been feigning dead, gets up and runs in to the forest.

Gould and Deacon are soon joined by two other survivors of the massacre. They introduce themselves to each other (but where they are from actually comes later). Medic Steven Gould (Alexander Niver) is from Brooklyn Heights, New York. He introduces Shirley "Shirl" Kendrick (Lawrence Bagby) with the 285^th from Louisiana. Sergeant Gordon Gunderson (Peter Holden) with the 101^st is from Chicago, south side. He introduces Corporal Nathan "Deacon" Greer (Corbin Allred) also with the 101^st from Snowflake, Arizona.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Saints and Soldiers ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Saints and Soldiers; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.

Movies - Saints and Soldiers

Production and release

Selected cast and crew

Plot summary

Searches on eBay

Related searches on eBay