From its first release at an underground theater in Paris, this account of France’s occupation under Nazi regime has been acclaimed as one of the most moving and influential films ever made. Director Marcel Ophüls interviewed the residents of Clermont-Ferrand who remembered the occupation, as well as government officials, writers, farmers, artists, and German veterans. Here, in their own words, is the story of how ordinary citizens and leaders alike behaved under military siege. Originally refused by French TV, the film garnered international success and acclaim – including an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary – while shattering the myth of an undivided and universally resistant France under the Vichy government. A triumph of on-the-ground filmmaking, THE SORROW AND THE PITY remains gripping, appalling, and exhilarating for its transparent view upon humanity.

For thoughts on The Sorrow and The Pity, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/XOfQo2Hz2JA?t=2511]

Video Quality

The Blu-Ray of The Sorrow and The Pity is sourced from a new 2K restoration by Milestone that handles this material with respect. This is a well appointed transfer that eliminates any major blemishes while still working within the limitations of the source. This footage was captured over 50 years ago, and not all filming conditions are created equal. Add in some additional archival footage, and the image quality can appear quite varied from scene to scene. When you consider the age of the film and condition of the source material, it is pleasing to see the material looking so strong.

The transfer maintains impeccable film grain support throughout with nothing looking unnatural and no major instances of spiking or swarming. Since the massive film is split over two discs, there does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts or any other such digital anomalies. At its best you do see some fine detail in the clothing of the subjects and in some of the background elements. The black-and-white photography provides an admirable stability within the contrast. This presentation does an impressive job of giving life to this moment in history.

Audio Quality

The new Blu-Ray is presented with a newly restored DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original French with optional English subtitles. As with the video, this suits the material as well as the source will allow. The interviews are the primary focus of this feature, and they mostly meet an pleasing standard considering the conditions of capturing these subjects. Some of the information is a bit muddled due to some of the limitations of the equipment or a unique cadence, but considering most will be relying on the subtitles there is not much to object to. There are a couple moments where there is a fluctuation in the audio that seems to stem from damage to the source material, but these are very brief and not an overwhelming issue. Considering the limitations in place in the course of this restoration, the results are more than up to par.

Special Features

Marcel Ophuls Visual History: A 40-minute interview with the director conducted in 2017 courtesy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in which he discusses how he came to be assigned to make The Sorrow and The Pity, his work in documentary that led to this effort, his work as an activist, developing the structure of the feature, the unexpected scandal that erupted from its release, the ratio of unused footage and much more. Ophuls is such a colorful character that keeps you hanging on every word.

Re-Release Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

The Sorrow and The Pity is a mammoth documentary which explores challenging material that must be confronted in order to honor and make sense of the past. There is the understandable instinct to protect your honor and legacy, but director Marcel Ophuls finds a way to get his subjects to tear down certain walls to get to bits of searing truth. You get insights from individuals on both sides of the occupation of France, and what you learn about the human condition will hit you deeply. It is a daunting undertaking, but those willing to take the plunge will gain so much from this cinematic experience. Milestone Films and Kino Lorber have released a Blu-Ray featuring a grand A/V presentation and an excellent interview. If you are a documentary fan or interested in experiencing more raw accounts from WWII, this one is an essential viewing. Highly Recommended

The Sorrow and The Pity is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Lorber has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.