Watch The Courage to Care

The Courage to Care is a 1985 documentary film that tells the story of non-Jewish people who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Through interviews with rescuers and survivors, as well as archival footage and re-enactments, the film sheds light on the extraordinary acts of bravery and selflessness that occurred in dark times.

The film is divided into three parts, each focusing on a different rescue story. The first story centers around a young Dutch woman named Geertruida Wijsmuller-Meijer, who helped transport Jewish children out of Austria and Germany to safety in England in the months leading up to the outbreak of World War II. Through sheer force of will and determination, Wijsmuller-Meijer was able to secure the release of over 10,000 children, many of whom would have otherwise perished in the concentration camps.

The second story follows the efforts of a French priest named Father Jacques de Jésus, who worked to save Jewish children in Vichy France during the war. Despite the risks involved, Father Jacques and his colleagues sheltered dozens of Jewish children in their convent, and even went so far as to forge false papers to give them new identities and protect them from the Nazis.

The third and final story centers around a group of Polish rescuers who worked to save Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto. At great personal risk, these individuals smuggled food, medicine, and weapons into the ghetto, and helped to organize the famous Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943.

Throughout the film, we hear from survivors who were personally rescued by these courageous individuals, as well as from the rescuers themselves. Their stories are incredibly moving, and offer a stark reminder of the depths of human depravity, as well as the heights of human compassion.

One of the most striking things about The Courage to Care is how it humanizes both the rescuers and the survivors. Rather than portraying them as larger-than-life heroes, the film shows them as ordinary people who were faced with extraordinary circumstances. We see their doubts, their fears, and their struggles, but we also see their unwavering commitment to doing what is right and just.

Another notable aspect of the film is its use of re-enactments. While some might criticize this approach as being overly sentimental or manipulative, in the case of The Courage to Care, it feels entirely appropriate. The re-enactments are beautifully shot and add a sense of immediacy to the stories being told. They also help to break up what might otherwise be a dry and academic recitation of facts and figures.

Overall, The Courage to Care is a powerful and deeply moving film that deserves to be seen by anyone interested in the history of the Holocaust. It is a testament not only to the bravery and heroism of those who risked their lives to save others, but also to the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable evil.

The Courage to Care is a 1985 documentary. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5.