HANNA'S WAR

REVIEWED BY ANNA T.

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: violence, thematic elements

Rated:

Hanna Senesh was a normal, happy, free spirited young woman. A beautiful day in summer 1937 she was playing ping-pong with a young man. Their playful banter turns serious when the ball goes into some bushes and Hanna goes after it.  He follows and attempts to kiss her. ‘Don’t’ she says softly, then listening to him earnestly tell her of his love for her. ‘I don’t love you’ she replies. Sadness flickers across his face before he answers, ‘Because I’m not a Jew?’ Hanna gets up wordlessly, and goes to the table where their parents are discussing Hitler, and what has been happening to Jews in Germany and other countries.

Time passes and things have started to happen to those who are Jewish in Hungary. Hanna wins a school writing contest, and is unjustly and cruelly disqualified when German officers come in and say she is a Jew, and insist she cannot receive such an honor. Her prize is given to another girl who is not Jewish, and Hanna leaves crying. Soon after, Hanna’s mother pleads with her to leave the country, and she obeys, going to Israel in hopes of meeting up with her brother. Once she arrives, she trains as a farmer, then a fisherwoman… and writes poetry on the side. A blanket is hung over her bed in the dorms as she types on a loud typewriter all her beautiful thoughts.

One blustery wet day, in a tent on the beach while Hanna is writing poetry once again, a smile on her face, thoughts dancing through her head of her wonderful reunion with her brother. A man enters her tent, a sober expression on his face. “We want you to join the British air force and rescue RAF pilots. “ Hanna is shocked, and soon discovers this man knows everything about her from investigations. She listens to his cause, and barely blinks when he says it's a suicide mission. She agrees on the one condition that she would be able to help in her own country.

The British officer promises and soon Hanna is catapulted into air force training, challenging a sergeant who thinks she can’t do some things because she's a woman. She proves him wrong and is included in a group of air force commando men trained to drop into Europe and rescue pilots… and brush fingers with death and torture. Hanna will be a martyr for the cause, but this is her story… her bravery and courage. This is Hanna’s War. This is not a film that young children can or should watch. There are graphic torture scenes that made me feel sick and horrified. Hanna is beat up till blood streams down her face; bruises abound. They knock her unconscious, than revive her with cold water. When she finally tells them her name they believe she is lying and spray her with boiling water while she screams painfully. They do things to her hands so that her nails are torn and bloodied. The man in charge of torturing her teases and mocks her, then proceeds to beat her up some more. She is thrown into her solitary cell and claws the walls and screams, wanting to get out. A woman tries to commit suicide first by hanging herself on a clothesline, then when that didn’t work, by breaking a mirror and cutting herself. Two characters hold guns to their heads, contemplating suicide. Many people are shot in various scenes with some blood. There are three abuses of Jesus’ name, one of God, and a few other minor profanities.  

In many ways this true story of Hanna Senesh reminded me of Joan of Arc… her immense bravery and courage inspired me. In the circumstances of being tortured beyond bearing she kept her mouth shut and didn’t betray her comrades or the code.  In execution Hannah goes to her unjust death bravely, her eyes shining as she looks up at the sky. Various pieces of her poetry are read through out the story, several of them heartbreaking. If you choose to rent or borrow this film in spite of the torture, you will be inspired…and made to think. Would you have stayed strong for so long? Would you have had the courage to risk your life?  It’s something to think about. Would you be willing to give your life for a friend? Hannah Senesh did just that. It was her war and even though she died, her courage won for Israel.