THE SEARCH
US, 1948, 104 minutes, Black and white.
Montgomery Clift, Aline McMahon?, Wendell Corey, Jarmila Novotna, Ivan Jandl.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann.
The Search was directed by Fred Zinnemann at the beginning of his Hollywood career. He had made such films as My Brother Talks to Horses and Act of Violence. However, he was soon to move to directing The Men, Carousel, High Noon and was to win Best Director Oscars for From Here to Eternity and A Man for All Seasons.
The film was made on location in Western Germany, the ruins of the German cities still appallingly evident. It focuses on displaced children, the attempts of American authorities to help them make the transition from wandering or concentration camps to some kind of settled life as well as to link them with their parents. The central character is a small boy, Czech, who cannot speak German and who wanders with the children. He has been separated from his family, his mother still looking for him while his father and sister have been killed. He runs away from the group and is befriended by an American GI, played by Montgomery Clift at the beginning of his career. Wendell Corey plays his friend.
The film is poignant, reminds audiences of the havoc of war, especially on children. The search by the mother is a desperate search - and the audience is satisfied when, finally, after making a decision to give up her search and to work with children, she meets her young son again. The film also highlights groups of Jewish children, rescued from the concentration camps, preparing to set sail for the new state of Israel.
This is a very moving film which still stands the test of time.
1. The impact of the film? In its time? Later? The continued plight of displaced people, the effects of war, children and parents? Desperate searches?
2. The black and white photography, the use of German locations, the cities and their bombed ruins? The presence of the Americans, trying to organise orphans and parents? The musical score, the song? The classical middle European tone?
3. The voice-over and the commentary on the effects of war, on the children, on the emotional state of the young boy, of his mother? The flashback to the family in Prague, at home, the music, the knock on the door, their being taken, the killing of the father and daughter, the mother surviving but separated from her son? The boy with the Auschwitz number on his arm?
4. The arrival of the children, the voice-over and the comment on their silence? Their obeying orders, fear of people in uniforms? The Americans trying to be efficient as well as trying to be kind? Mrs Mulray and her receiving of the children, her capacity for organisation? The children going to the dormitories, being tired, afraid? The interviews with the children, the translators, their fears? The young boy Karel and his inability to understand any of the languages? His age, experience, silence? The young French boy explaining him to the officials?
5. The transporting of the children, their fear of getting into the ambulances, their having to be reassured? Their fear, banging on the door, the escape? The two boys running and hiding, the French boy and his drowning? Karel hiding in the bushes? His cap being found and people assuming he was dead?
6. Karel and his fears, wandering the ruins, encountering Steve in the jeep, Steve offering him food, his taking it? Getting in the jeep, going to the headquarters, his initial fears, running for the door? His returning? His ability to say, "I don't know," in German? Steve and his friend, their discussing what to do?
7. Karel, being called Jimmy, learning English identifying the cards, his quick learning? Steve and his returning to America, deciding to go to the officials to get permission to take him to America? His friend's advice? The dinner with the family, Karel upset and seeing the young boy with his mother? His wanting Steve to find his mother, running away, their finding him again, bringing him back? The attempts to find the mother, Steve's decision that she was dead and telling Karel?
8. Mrs Malik, her wanderings, her exhaustion, her attempts to find her son? Thinking that they had found him, Mrs Mulray and the Jewish boy, his fears? His being put with the other Jewish children and not with the Catholic children? His later playing, Mrs Malik and her befriending him? Her illness, Mrs Mulray looking after her, persuading her to stay and look after the children, the farewell party for the Jewish children on the way to Israel? Mrs Malik deciding she should be on her way, going to the train, Mrs Mulray unable to persuade her to stay?
9. Steve and his decision to bring Jimmy (Karel) to the centre, Mrs Malik passing the jeep? Mrs Mulray finally recognising that this was the boy because of his saying, "I don't know," in German? Her phone call, hurrying to the station, the train pulling out? The scene of the children arriving, in their silence? Mrs Malik with the children?
10. Steve sending the boy over, his being with the other children, his mother recognising him, the reconciliation?
11. A satisfying look at a social problem, the history of World War II and displaced people, the emotional story of a child needing a parent, longing for his mother, her search, their finding one another?
