Death is Called Engelchen is a WWII movie written and directed by Jan Kadar and Elmar Klos, a duo best known in America for making The Shop on Main Street. This movie features the last days World War II as seen through the eyes of Pavel, a young resistance fighter. He and his band of partisans deal with informers, resentful villagers, hunger, exhaustion and a Nazi commander named Engelchen, who is very determined to wipe them out. On top of all this, Pavel has fallen in love with Marta, another resistance fighter, who is sleeping with Gestapo officers to glean information and who is very naturally worried what is going to happen to her after the war. This movie is a little different than many war movies in that it doesn't really strive for suspense or excitement, even though there are plenty of action scenes. Instead the focus is on the daily grind of such a life and its cost on the fighters and everyone else. The performances are all good and I particularly liked the minimalist soundtrack.
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