Marcel Ophuls' 1969 documentary 'The Sorrow and the Pity' examines French collaboration under Nazi occupation

Marcel Ophuls' 1969 film, 'The Sorrow and the Pity,' delves into the experiences of those living in Nazi-occupied France, featuring interviews conducted in Clermont-Ferrand. This four-hour documentary disputes the notion of a unified French resistance by highlighting the extensive complicity of civilians. Ophuls, who passed away in 2025 at the age of 97, speaks with Resistance members, former guerrillas, an ex-Nazi soldier, and regular citizens whose inaction facilitated the occupation. The film scrutinizes the propaganda methods of the Vichy regime and the corruption within the French police. Wealthy Frenchman Christian de La Mazière reflects on his fascination with fascism, while Colonel Raymond Sarton du Jonchay reveals nuanced political motivations. David Denby praised it in The Atlantic in 1972, labeling it 'one of the greatest documentaries ever made.' Ophuls' exploration raises questions about how societies remember collaboration and the balance between justice and coexistence.