Anna Paquin in "The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler"
courtesy of Hallmark Hall of Fame
“The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler” (Hallmark Hall of Fame)

Anna Paquin stars in the latest Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation “The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler.” This movie tells the true story of the woman who has been called by many “the female Schindler” because of the fact she saved over 2.500 children during World War II. Her story is an impressive and inspirational one.

The film starts with World War II already in full force. Irena Sendler (Paquin) works in Warsaw, Poland as a social worker. As such she has access into and out of the Warsaw Ghetto. Almost immediately after starting this work she begins to devise a plan to rescue the children trapped in the ghetto for she fears they will lose their lives if she doesn’t rescue them.. 

She is encouraged to do this by her frail mother (Marcia Gay Harden) and her co-conspirator Stephen (Goran Visnjic). With the aid of her co-workers she begins her mission, always knowing she could be found out at any time and captured by the Germans.

The story itself is impressive but it is not particularly moving. The colors of the film are not vibrant but are drained. The same could be said of the plot. We learn little of Irena’s past. This would have helped in knowing what formed her to be so heroic. We instead get a detached view that keeps the audience at arm’s length from the heart and soul of the story.

Paquin is very good as Irena, but she acts dispassionately in many ways. She does her job but the emotional impact is held back, maybe as a protective device. The love story between Irena and Stephen seems forced and fake. 

Even with these flaws the movie does make an impact. The fact of what was done by Irena Sendler is enough to make this compulsory viewing. But if a little more emotion had been allowed to creep in, the story would have been staggering.

“The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler” premieres on the Hallmark Hall of Fame, Sunday, April 19 at 9PM.
 

 

 

 

 

©2009 Jackie K. Cooper

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