bennetta-4 I think this movie has been underrated, for some disappointing reasons. Very few people criticize Kate Nelligan's fine performance; but they overlook the performances of Linda Hunt and the actor who played the local Communist leader who was ultimately spared by Nicholas Gage (I don't know his name, but I thought the casting was quite deft). For the most part, though, it was John Malkovich's performance that has been so grossly misunderstood. People hadn't seen enough of his work in 1985 when the movie came out. But now, after "Places in the Heart," "The Killing Fields," and numerous other films, we should be able to appreciate what he can do with a part.Another distressing aspect of the critical comments is the fact that the political left prefers to focus on political background as the major point in their evaluation. To toss out any political reference to the actual situation in Greece in the late 1940's is nothing more than turning the very valid allegations of Communist mischief in that time into an argument for their side--something that the radical left has always been able to do quite adroitly for some time. In the early '80's many of those kidnapped children had grown up and returned to Greece--as agents provocateurs. They were so successful that their efforts had a potent effect on Greek politics for years. It is a fact that in that time the Soviets shot down a Korean airliner that had drifted off course over the Sea of Japan. Everyone aboard was killed. And the Premier of Greece, with no evidence to support his conclusion whatsoever, said publicly that the plane was probably on a spy mission for the CIA. He, of course, was playing to the powerful leftist political sentiment in his own country at the time. A page of history is truly worth a volume of logic sometimes.

zezebel I haven't seen the whole movie, only some parts. I must though make some observations. I think it would be too innocent for someone to believe that films, any kind of films - from "Judge Dredd" to "Bowling for Columbine"-,do not embrace certain ideas, do not have a very specific and clear ideology. Ihave read the comments on this movie and to be honest I am a bit annoyed by some of these which happen to be a part of my country;s history. It is never easy to view things in a civil war, it is very clear though that in the Greek civil war(1945-1949)there were two sides; there was the former government, which during the triple occupation(German, Italian and Bulgarian)was "absent" in Cairo (just to note that the former government handed over those communists who were then in exile to the Nazis) and there was the people,who were starving to death, who were tortured, who were sent to concentration camps or to factories in Germany to work. The two sides are very distinct and so were the interests each side served. When Greece was liberated by the Germans, the former government came back to claim the power. the people fought against them, not just the communists, for they wanted a free country, where the people would be the one to decide for its fate and not some so-called allied forces!if it hadn't been for the English and the American, Greece would have been a totally different country. Let me just say that thanks to the American and English intervention the first Napalm bombs were first tested here, in Greece, against the Communists and those who fought for dignity and for an independent nation. Now concerning the film, when these "allied forces" are described as liberators and when the communists are described as the biggest threat in human history, I am sorry to disappoint some of you but this is a clear political view!!And I am also sorry to disappoint some of you but since we live in capitalism(don't be afraid to use the word!), which is an economical and political system, we shouldn't believe that art, culture, our everyday habits are not a reflection of this particular system. Besides every system tries to protect itself! Finally, I would like to add that I do like films and I do like art, but I don't like to be manipulated in a way that my personal judgment is put aside. PS one last observation concerning history facts and propaganda: in "La vita e Bella" starring Roberto Benini, the last scene shows American troops liberating the prisoners of the concentration camp in Poland!well, I guess 20.000.000 Russian killed in the second world war would be quite surprised, if not anything else.

aroni-1 An excellent film, especially for history buffs. I suggest that anyone who has seen this film should also read the book. As a former leftist, this movie hits home regarding the lies and distortions that communists use to perpetuate their evil and inhuman ideology. As an American of Greek descent, I am familiar with many of the traditions and customs shown in the film. The village life shown caused me to recall stories that my mother told me, and the closeness of the family in Greek culture shown by the protagonist's relentless search for his mother's killers is another accurate portrayal. The starvation and suffering of poor Greeks during WWII made them easy prey for communist ideology, which, thank God, did not succeed in 1945-1949, and thanks to works like this film, will never succeed.

jtpaladin Folks, please ignore the silly left-wingers who have decided to post their hateful remarks about this great film.Speaking as a Greek-American, who's father was a partisan in WWII, the story as shown in the film was exactly as it happened. Yes, there was a terrible civil war following WWII but it was an attempt by the Soviet Union to extend its' power into the southern Balkans. The Soviets backed communists in Greece and the Allies backed non-communists. After a long and bloody conflict, that also resulted in thousands of Greek children being stolen from their parents and shipped to Eastern Bloc countries, the war ended with the non-communists as victors.Now, be sure that like in every bloody civil war, there were atrocities committed on both sides. But fighting against the communists was the right course of action since they did not favor free elections, would have instituted a tyrannical govt., and would have dragged Greece into the Eastern Bloc for 50 years.As for the kidnapping of the children, the blow to Greece's manpower was tragic. It would be the equivalent if millions of children were taken from American parents. Truly a nightmare. But a nightmare that could have been averted if the filthy communist scumbags had been stopped early on. It was Churchill that wanted to land troops in Greece for just such a reason during WWII but the Soviet dominated alliance nixed such an idea, leaving Greece wide open for chaos and an atmosphere for civil war.Anyway, the film was truly accurate in its' portrayal of the political climate of the time, the brutality of the communists, and the end result of this horrendous period. I highly recommend it as a lesson in what many countries of that, and later periods, encountered with communist insurrections. I also highly recommend it as a powerful testament of a mothers' love to protect her children from the ensuing chaos of war and tragedy.