Swing Kids/WW2 1939 Germany

SO YOUNG ... SO NAIVE... @4713Caine

@MarenNorthway

15 hours ago

I’d read a handful of the comments regarding the historical significance of this film, and although I’m not a huge “historian” buff or have much knowledge about a lot of history, especially global history. This was a pivotal moment in history that had shaken the world. The impact of the damage caused by Hitler, as expressed in the lyrics of the song "Seconds" by The Human League, was described as "a shot that was heard all around the world." However, from what I gather from the beginning of this film, the culture of “Swing Kids” was an establishment that was against the whole Nazi leadership. That’s my take just from the first few minutes of the film.

8 months ago (edited)

59:53 "It's better to know what you are agreeing to, Peter, before you become part of something..." the meta of that comment... EDIT: Note how he's being told by Herr Knopp to be careful about the packages he's delivering for the bookseller, yet in a similar fashion, the Gestapo has him deliver people's ashes without telling him (or them) what's being delivered or why....

Swing Kids

https://youtu.be/-Ucv-mN0IrI?si=Z6F5hKOGrKs4eXKW

 

Free with ads

PG-13

Release date

1993

Running time

1:53:45

Audio

English

Subtitle

English

Actors

Robert Sean LeonardChristian BaleFrank WhaleyBarbara Hershey

Director

Thomas Carter

Producers

Mark GordonJohn Bard Manulis

Writer

Jonathan Marc Feldman

Genres

Family

YouTube Movies & TV

193M subscribers

 

It's 1939, and Nazi Germany has declared war on freedom, demanding conformity from its youth. But a group calling themselves SWING KIDS rebel with their "swing" music from America and dare to stand up against the powerful forces around them. Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale deliver gripping performances as two friends who must choose between their individual freedom or loyalty to the murderous Third Reich. Also featuring Barbara Hershey, SWING KIDS is an inspirational and powerful story about finding the courage to fight for what you believe in!

 

Strength comes from purity. Who said that?

 

ChatGPT said:

 

The phrase “Strength comes from purity” doesn’t have a single, well-documented origin or widely recognized author. It’s been used in different contexts — philosophical, religious, and even fictional — to express the idea that true power or resilience arises from moral integrity, sincerity, or inner clarity, not deceit or corruption.

 

Here are a few related uses:

 

Spiritual and religious teachings — Many traditions (Christianity, Buddhism, Stoicism) convey the same idea: purity of heart or intent brings strength. For example, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8) reflects the same principle.

 

Martial and moral philosophy — In samurai and Stoic traditions, inner purity (clear purpose, discipline, lack of selfishness) is seen as the source of true strength.

 

Pop-culture echo — The line “Strength through purity, purity through faith” appears in the film V for Vendetta, spoken as part of the authoritarian regime’s propaganda slogan. Some people later paraphrased or softened it to “Strength comes from purity.”

 

So, unless you’re quoting a specific literary or cinematic source, the phrase is best described as a proverbial or philosophical saying, not attributed to one person. Would you like me to trace how it evolved from V for Vendetta or spiritual texts into modern motivational use?

Yes — that description is for the 1993 film Swing Kids, directed by Thomas Carter and starring Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley, and Barbara Hershey.

Here’s a bit more context and interpretation:

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???? Overview

Set in Hamburg, Germany, 1939, the film follows a group of teenagers who are passionate about American swing music — jazz, Benny Goodman, and dancing — which the Nazi regime considers degenerate and bans. These young rebels, known as “Swing Kids,” use music as a symbol of freedom and individuality in defiance of Nazi conformity.

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???? Themes

• Freedom vs. Conformity: The Swing Kids’ love of jazz represents the human spirit’s resistance to authoritarian control.

• Friendship and Betrayal: Peter (Robert Sean Leonard) and Thomas (Christian Bale) are torn between loyalty to each other and the pressures of Nazi indoctrination.

• Moral Courage: The film asks how far one will go to defend personal values when faced with fear, propaganda, and violence.

• Music as Resistance: Swing music becomes a metaphor for freedom, joy, and cultural defiance under oppression.

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???? Notable Message

The line often associated with this film’s spirit is something like:

“It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”
That lyric (from Duke Ellington) captures how music and moral rhythm can survive even in dark times.

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Would you like me to explain the ending scene, where Peter shouts “Swing Heil!” and its symbolic meaning? It’s one of the film’s most powerful moments.

@katsioh

8 months ago

I had to watch this in high school, and it had a profound effect on me. I remember watching it multiple times, replaying it after that. The music and dancing were excellent, and paired with the heaviness of Nazi Germany propaganda on the youth, it made for an intriguing movie. With everything currently happening in the world and in the US, this movie recently crossed my mind. I’m so happy I was able to find it again. Perfect timing. It’s a reminder to not let propaganda/misinformation lead us astray and to stand for what is right.

 

@JTMaxBet

9 months ago

One of the Finest films of my generation, thank you for posting this

@1985TIMEMACHINE

9 months ago

This movie is not only excellent and amazing, but it also serves as a warning ?? to never forget the lessons of history. This is especially true in our current lifetime, as America and many other nations around the world are politically divided. I love this movie now more than ever because with each memory of the past remembered, the better prepared are people for the future.