The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

Through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a German concentration camp, a forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences.

Director:

Mark Herman

Writers:

John Boyne (novel), Mark Herman (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend

7 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Asa Butterfield	...	Bruno
Zac Mattoon O'Brien	...	Leon (as Zac Mattoon-O'Brien)
Domonkos Németh	...	Martin
Henry Kingsmill	...	Karl
Vera Farmiga	...	Mother
Cara Horgan	...	Maria
Zsuzsa Holl	...	Berlin Cook
Amber Beattie	...	Gretel
László Áron	...	Lars
David Thewlis	...	Father
Richard Johnson	...	Grandpa
Sheila Hancock	...	Grandma
Charlie Baker	...	Palm Court Singer
Iván Verebély	...	Meinberg
Béla Fesztbaum	...	Schultz

Storyline

Bruno an eight-year-old boy from Berlin, Germany is moved with his mother, Elder sister, SS Commander father to a countryside in Europe where his father powers over a concentration camp for Jews. Bruno went "exploring" one day and befriended a child his age named Shmuel. Shmuel was a Jew. The boy became good friends until Bruno was scheduled to move to a new location.

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Plot Keywords:

jew | boy | poison gas | fence | jewish | 

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Taglines:

Lines may divide us, but hope will unite us...

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rupert Friend initially turned down the role as Lieutenant Kotler because he was shocked by the violent nature of his character. He said, "I mean, it's not particularly flattering to be associated with a group of people who attempted to exterminate an entire race. I'm not a shouty person, and I'm not violent either. The character scared me. But then I realized that that was probably the point. It was about putting a human face on these atrocities." However, Friend struggled throughout filming and became withdrawn after shooting the more harrowing scenes.

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Goofs

In the scene where mother is knitting while listening to the radio, the actress is knitting using the British method, holding the wool in the right hand and "throwing" it. No German mother knits the British way and would use the continental method, holding the wool in the left hand and "picking" the stitch.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mother: Hello, sweetheart.
Bruno: Mum, what's going on?
Mother: We're celebrating.
Bruno: Celebrating?
Mother: Mm, your father's been given a promotion.
Gretel: That means a better job.
Bruno: I know what promotion is.
Mother: So we're having a little party to celebrate.
Bruno: He's still going to be a soldier though, isn't he?
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Quotation displayed before the opening titles: "Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows - John Betjeman"

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movies So Depressing You Can Only Watch Them Once (2018)

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Soundtracks

Ich liebe das Leben
Written by Matthias Seuffert
Courtesy of APM Music

User Reviews

Perfectly weighted film...

I'm a man's man, and it takes something really exceptional to break my emotionless machine persona. This film ripped me apart and reminded me (and my partner) of humanity inside even the most hardened man.

Perfectly weighted film in every way, from pace to acting and all framed with a wonderful score. The subtlety of the looks passing between the actors and a finale that ensured silence until the final credit rolled, makes this one of the best films i've seen in a long time.

This is the first review I have never written and i cannot think of a better way to have opened my account.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Filming Locations:

Hungary

Box Office

Budget:

$12,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$253,085, 9 November 2008

Gross USA:

$9,046,156

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,416,563

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, BBC Films, Heyday Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color Black and White (propaganda film - final scene)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1