On an infrequent date night, Kim and I decided to see the movie Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin. As my acquaintance with Bonhoeffer is all hearsay, I looked forward to learning more about Pastor Bonhoeffer.
The first thing that struck me was the film’s several biblical allusions. I suspect the directors took certain liberties to portray Bonhoeffer as a Christological or apostolic figure. Bonhoeffer is seen in a jail cell along with other prisoners when a bomb explodes nearby. The gates of his cell are damaged. He leaves his cell and then gathers the other prisoners. However, they do not escape. The allusion to Paul and Silas is clear.
In the days before his execution, Bonhoeffer presides over a last supper Eucharist. During this event, even an enemy Nazi soldier is welcome. In the final scene, that same soldier stands visibly moved. The Nazis execute Bonhoeffer by hanging him between two empty nooses. The allusion is to Christ’s last supper with his disciples and crucifixion as one of three. At the same time, an emotionally moved Roman soldier recognizes that Jesus is the Son of God.
The movie leaves many loose ends. Cinematically, several scenes add little to the story, if anything. The film may have tried to show us the pastor’s tenacity. However, the opening scene with him chasing his brother adds little. It only serves as a basis for his final admission of not finding a strawberry. Unfortunately, it is a wasted detail.
While it is clear that the Abyssinian Baptist Church heavily influenced Bonhoeffer, his jazz piano scene adds no value. It contributes nothing to the overall story. The dinner scene, along with his and Frank Fisher’s nearly deadly hotel clerk encounter, clearly demonstrates his changing attitude.
Bonhoeffer attempts to infiltrate the Reich. The SS officer challenges him. He must prove his loyalty by taking seven Jewish prisoners to the Swiss border. The connection to his loyalty is entirely unclear. It is unclear what the producer expects us to understand from this scene.
One final area that seems to be a missed opportunity concerns Bonhoeffer’s extensive writings. The epilogue informs us that he wrote volumes of books. However, the movie only shows him writing in what appears to be a personal journal. There is no hint of his prolific skills.
The movie moves along at a reasonable pace. There was no temptation to check the time. The church scenes where Bonhoeffer then later Niemoller rage against the dead church and Nazis are powerful. As is the not-so-subtle critique of religious (Christian) nationalism. The warning to believers living today is clear and powerful.
While it is not the best movie I’ve seen, it will be worthwhile if it piques further interest in Bonhoeffer. Despite its faults, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Traitor is inspiring. I wish its lessons were not as relevant today as they are.
