“Truth” has consequences – Lehigh Valley Press

My father Paul traveled to Germany as a tourist many times. Once, he even got up to conduct an Oompah band at Oktoberfest.

My mother Ruth visited Germany with my father, but not as often.

When I asked her, ”Why not?,” my mother said, “I always wondered what some of them did there during the war.”

We know what Helmuth Hübener did in Germany during World War II.

The-17-year-old was clandestinely distributing anti-Hitler leaflets in Hamburg, Germany.

Hübener was arrested and charged with treason. He was the youngest to be executed for treason by the Third Reich.

“Truth & Treason” is a gripping film about the reign of terror that was Nazi Germany and a glimpse into some of the inner-workings of the SS. The film tells a story of punishment for the use of words, thoughts and actions if they did not serve Hitler and his minions.

“Truth & Treason” is emotionally-intense. It is brutally graphic in some of the depictions of violence.

“Truth & Treason,” tells the story of Helmuth Hübener in harrowing detail. Hübener resisted the Nazi regime after his teen friend, Solomon Schwartz (Nye Occomore) a Jew, was arrested.

“Truth & Treason” is directed by Matt Whitaker, who directed a documentary about Hübener, “Truth & Conviction” (2003). Whitaker and Ethan Vincent co-wrote the screenplay for “Truth & Treason.”

Helmuth Hübener (Ewan Horrocks), a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was helped in distributing anti-Nazi propaganda by two male teen friends, Karl-Heinz Schnibbe (Ferdinand McKay) and Rudolf Wobbe (Daf Thomas), where they each attended church services in a Mormon congregation in Hamburg.

Hübener secretly listened to BBC broadcasts on a short-wave radio and took notes to write his diatribes against Hitler. Hübener enjoyed the music of Mendelssohn even though the music of the composer, who was born Jewish, was banned in Nazi Germany.

“Truth & Treason” poses many ethical questions examined through the lens of Christianity. Can one serve two masters? Does one render unto Caesar? Does one obey the government or God?

The film is set in Hamburg from 1941 to 1942. The production design, interior and exterior scenes and costumes seem authentic and put the movie-goer in that time and place.

Ewan Horrocks (TV’s “The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die,” 2023; TV’s “Domina,” 2021-2023) plays the role of Helmuth Hübener with a sense of determination, enthusiasm and love of life.

Scenes between Hübener and his buddies have the warmth of male camaraderie. Scenes between Hübener and his girlfriend Elli Kluge (Sylvie Varcoe) radiate tender charm. Their enjoyment of a night at the opera elevates their rapport.

The supporting cast is excellent, including Joanna Christie as Emma Hübener and Sean Mahon as Hugo Hübener, parents of Helmuth Hübener; Daniel Betts as Bishop Arthur Zander, Mormon congregation minister; Rupert Evans (TV’s “The Man in the High Castle,” 2015-2018) as Erwin Mussener, a Gestapo investigator; Celinde Schoenmaker as Anne Müssener, Erwin Mussener’s wife, and Dominic Mafham as Judge Karl Engert.

Matt Whitaker (director, TV’s “Small Fortunes: Microcredit and the Future of Poverty,” 2005) directs “Truth & Treason” in near-sepia tones with lots of back-lighting in family scenes and stark grays and near darkness in interrogation scenes, working with cinematographer Bianca Cline (“Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” 2021).

The film is scored vibrantly by composer by Aaron Zigman (Daytime Emmy Awards winner, original song, “Crown Heights,” 2005; “The Notebook,” 2004).

“Truth & Treason” puts the spotlight on a little-known hero of World War II. The film tells us what Helmuth Hübener did during the war. See the film and you will know, too.

My father used to say, “All the world needs for wrong to triumph is for good men to nothing.”

I think that my mother took those words to heart.

What did you do during the war?

Which war, you might reasonably ask?

“Truth & Treason,” MPA PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned: Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13) for strong violent content, bloody images, thematic elements and smoking; Genre: Drama, Thriller, History; Run time: 2 hours, 1 minute. Distributed by Angel Studios.

Credit Readers Anonymous: “Truth & Treason” includes an on-screen quote by Russian dissident Alexei Navalny (1976 – 2024). The film” was filmed from approximately April to June 2024 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Closing credits include a brief interview with director Matt Whitaker. A QR code is displayed for those who want to pay-it-forward for admission for another person to see the film.

At The Movies: “Truth & Treason” was seen in the standard digital format at AMC Center Valley 16.

Theatrical Movies Domestic Weekend Box Office, Oct. 24-26: “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc,” a Japanese Anime Fantasy film, opened at No. 1 with $17.2 million in 3,003 theaters, hanging up “Black Phone 2,” dropping from its one-week at No. 1 stint to No. 2 with $13 million in 3,460 theaters, $49 million, two weeks.

“Regretting You,” starring Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, Dave Franco and Scott Eastwood in the Romance, Drama, opened at No. 3 with $12.8 million in 3,393 theaters.

“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen in the Music, Drama, Biography, opened at No. 4 with $9.1 million in 3,460 theaters.

5. “Tron: Ares” dropped three places from No. 2 with $4.9 million in 2,940 theaters, $63.3 million, three weeks. 6. “Good Fortune” dropped three places, $3.1 million in 2,990 theaters, $11.7 million, two weeks. 7. “Shelby Oaks,” a Horror film, opened with $2.3 million in 1,830 theaters. 8. “One Battle After Another” dropped four places, $2.3 million in 1,473 theaters, $65.7 million, five weeks. 9. “Roofman” dropped four places, $2 million in 2,347 theaters, $19.3 million, three weeks. 10. “Truth & Treason” dropped four places, $933,075 in 1,701 theaters, $4.8 million, two weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Oct. 26 is subject to change.

Unreel, Oct. 29:

“Stitch Head,” MPA rated PG, 1 hour, 29 minutes. Steve Hudson (director, “True North,” 2006) directs the voice talents of Asa Butterfield, Joel Fry and Alison Steadman and the computer animation in the Fantasy Comedy. A small creature is created by a Mad Professor to protect monsters in a castle from an angry mob from the town of Grubbers Nubbin.

“The Anniversary,” R, 1 hour, 52 minutes. Jan Komasa directs Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Madeline Brewer, Zoey Deutch, Dylan O’Brien, Mckenna Grace and Phoebe Dynevor in the Psychological Thriller. A family is torn apart by a new political movement.

Unreel, Oct. 31:

“Bugonia,” MPA rated R; 2 hours. Yorgos Lanthimos directs Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis and Alicia Silverstone in the Crime Comedy Satire.

Two men kidnap a CEO, claiming that she is an alien who will destroy the Earth.

It’s the fourth feature film collaboration of Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone.

Lanthimos, a five-time Oscar nominee (including “Poor Things,” 2024; “The Favourite” 2019; “The Lobster, 2017) directed Emma Stone, a five-time Oscar nominee (including “Poor Things”; “The Favourite,” “La La Land,” 2017; “Birdman: The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance,” 2015) to a best actress Oscar win in “Poor Things.”

Lanthimos directed Emma Stone in “Kinds of Kindness,” 2024; “The Favourite” and a 30-minute short, “Bleat,” 2022.

Emma Stone received a best actress Oscar for “La La Land.”

“Self-Help,” MPA rated R; 1 hour, 25 minutes. Erik Bloomquist directs Landry Bender, Jake Weber, Madison Lintz and himself in the Horror Thriller. A young woman infiltrates a cult after her mother gets involved with its leader.

“Champions of the Golden Valley,” No MPA rating; 1 hour, 21 minutes. Afghanistan youth make their own wooden skis to compete in a race prior to the nation’s collapse. The documentary film by Ben Sturgulewski has won 24 awards in film festivals.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of Oct. 26 are subject to change.

Four Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes

IMAGE: ANGEL STUDIOSEwan Horrocks (Helmuth Hübener), “Truth & Treason.”