Presented entirely in black and white, Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon bears its indie label with proud valor. Its simplistic settings mark that of a tightened budget, and the cast of relative unknowns allows your mind to quickly compare them to people you've personally known in your own life. But as the plot points become relative and the story unearths itself, it becomes quite clear that while simple in nature; the film is as complex as one could possibly imagine.
Taking place in Germany, a year before the outbreak of World War I, The White Ribbon chronicles a series of misfortunes that plague a reasonably quiet village. The events range in terms of seriousness, but they all pave way to a character-study feature; one that forces you to think as not all events are tied up and given to you in the form of a physical conclusion.
The village school teacher, a young man who is anxiously awaiting the day that he will be married, serves as the film's narrator. He represents the lone "˜love' story within the entire film, and his insightful mind helps bring clarity to the over-structured story during its most sluggish moments. It is he who begins to correctly figure out who is responsible for the weird mishaps occurring throughout the village, and it is he who must deal with the problem. He is curious and anxious, bringing an unusual character to the screen with fine precision.
But in the big scheme of things, nothing outshines the mischievous children, led by Klara, the preacher's daughter. Full of wit and intelligence, Klara proves to be the ringleader behind all of the crude happenings, but there is simply no proof. Her selective battle with her school teacher gives the film a little edge, as does her supposed willingness to do evil.
The symbolism in the film is quite possibly the most intriguing part of the whole process. Witnessing children run about and stir up drama amongst their elder townsfolk is nothing short of entertaining, but also raises many questions. Why are they doing this? What brings about such a violent side in today's youth? Little did anyone know that in some thirty years the present youth would lead a regime of hatred in the name of Hitler. It is a chilling thought really, but one most worthy of noting.
As a whole body of work, The White Ribbon is a much better film after days of pondering over its approach, its meaning and its path. There is no simple way to describe the thoughts and questions that arise thanks to its showing, and an opinion should not be expressed until one has had time to think over the events that have just been laid out before you. There are dry moments, and ones that carry an unearthly slow pace. But in the end, after all is said and done, the film itself is able to overcome such roadblocks and create an experience that is more intellectually promising than most.
