Siege

About the production

Julien Bryan arrived in Warsaw in August 1939 on what was supposed to be a routine assignment to document Polish life. When Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, Bryan became the only foreign journalist to remain in Warsaw throughout the entire siege, which lasted until September 27. He filmed with a 35mm motion picture camera, often under dangerous conditions as bombs fell around him. Bryan had to hide his film from German authorities and smuggle it out of Poland through diplomatic channels. The footage was developed and edited in the United States after Bryan's escape. The film was narrated by Bryan himself, providing firsthand commentary on the events he witnessed.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Bryan entered besieged Warsaw as a neutral American photographer; his footage became vital evidence of civilian suffering at the war's outset.

Why this film matters

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best One-Reel Short, Siege helped shape Allied understanding of Nazi aggression before the United States entered the war.

Making of

The making of 'Siege' is a remarkable story of journalistic courage and serendipity. Julien Bryan, a 36-year-old documentary filmmaker from Pennsylvania, had arrived in Warsaw in August 1939 to make a film about Polish culture and daily life. He was scheduled to leave on September 3, but when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, he made the fateful decision to stay and document what he knew would be a historic event. Bryan filmed from various vantage points throughout the city, often risking his life to capture footage of the bombing raids. He used a hand-cranked 35mm camera, which required careful operation even under fire. During the siege, Bryan lived in the Hotel Polonia, which was hit multiple times by bombs. He would often film from the hotel windows or dash out into the streets between air raids to capture footage of the destruction. Bryan developed a system for hiding his film canisters throughout the hotel room to prevent discovery by German forces. After Warsaw's surrender on September 27, Bryan was arrested by the Gestapo but was eventually released through the intervention of the American embassy. He managed to smuggle his precious footage out of Poland by concealing it in diplomatic pouches. The film was later edited in New York with Bryan providing the narration based on his detailed notes and memories of the events.

What critics said

Contemporary press praised its immediacy and moral urgency; historians still cite it in discussions of wartime documentary ethics.

Did you know?

• Julien Bryan was the only foreign journalist who stayed in Warsaw for the entire duration of the siege, from September 1-27, 1939
• The film contains one of the earliest and most comprehensive documentary records of civilian bombing during World War II
• Bryan filmed much of the footage from the windows of his hotel room, which was damaged multiple times during the bombing
• The film shows the famous moment when Bryan filmed a young Polish girl crying 'Why do they do this?' as she looked at the destruction
• Bryan had to bribe German officials to allow him to leave Warsaw with his film footage
• The original footage was shot on 35mm film stock that Bryan had brought with him from the United States
• After the war, Bryan returned to Warsaw and met some of the people he had filmed during the siege
• The film was used as evidence in post-war Nuremberg Trials to document German war crimes against civilians
• Bryan established the International Film Foundation in 1945 to promote documentary filmmaking and cross-cultural understanding
• The film's raw, unscripted nature contrasts sharply with the propaganda films being produced by both Allied and Axis powers at the time

Awards & recognition

• Added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2006
• Academy Honorary Award (special citation) for Julien Bryan's wartime documentation (1941)

Visual style

The cinematography of Siege is remarkable for its technical achievement under extreme conditions. Julien Bryan used a 35mm hand-cranked camera, which required precise manual operation even while bombs were falling around him. The footage is characterized by its immediacy and intimacy, often filmed from close quarters that put viewers directly into the heart of the destruction. Bryan employed various techniques to capture different aspects of the siege: wide shots showing the scale of the destruction, medium shots of civilians navigating the rubble-strewn streets, and close-ups that reveal the human emotion and suffering. The camera work is often shaky and imperfect, reflecting the dangerous conditions under which it was filmed, but this raw quality adds to the film's authenticity and power. Bryan's background as a still photographer is evident in his careful composition of shots, even in the midst of chaos. The black and white footage emphasizes the stark contrast between life and death, destruction and survival, creating a visual language that conveys the horror of war without sensationalism.

Innovations

Siege represents several significant technical achievements in documentary filmmaking for its time. The fact that Bryan was able to film continuously throughout a 26-day siege under combat conditions was extraordinary. He successfully captured approximately 10,000 feet of film footage, a remarkable amount given the circumstances. The film demonstrates early use of what would later become standard techniques in war documentation, including the filming of civilian casualties and the documentation of war crimes. Bryan's ability to preserve and smuggle the footage out of occupied Poland was a technical and logistical achievement in itself. The film's editing, completed in the United States, created a coherent narrative from chaotic footage, establishing techniques that would influence future war documentaries. The preservation of the original 35mm nitrate film stock for over 80 years is also noteworthy, allowing modern audiences to experience the footage in its original quality. The film's technical excellence was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences through its Oscar nomination.

Music

The original version of Siege featured minimal sound design, reflecting the technical limitations of field recording in 1939. The primary audio element is Julien Bryan's narration, which he recorded after returning to the United States. Bryan's voice is calm and matter-of-fact, providing factual context without emotional manipulation, which allows the visual images to carry the emotional weight of the film. The narration was written based on Bryan's detailed notes and memories of the events he witnessed. In some versions of the film, subtle background music was added during post-production, but this was not part of the original release. The sound design emphasizes the absence of sound in many scenes - the eerie silence between bombing raids, the muffled cries of victims, the distant rumble of artillery - creating an auditory landscape that complements the visual devastation. The lack of a dramatic musical score or sound effects distinguishes Siege from many war documentaries of its era and contributes to its documentary authenticity.

Famous quotes

I have seen war. I have seen death. I have seen the bodies of women and children in the streets. I have seen the courage of people who have nothing left to lose. This is what I have to show you.

Julien Bryan's opening narration

Why do they do this?

Young Polish girl filmed looking at the destruction

These are not soldiers. These are people. People who were living their lives, going to work, raising their children, until the bombs came.

Julien Bryan's narration

In twenty-six days, I saw more death than I had ever imagined possible. And yet, I also saw more courage than I knew existed.

Julien Bryan's closing narration

Memorable scenes

• The sequence showing a young Polish girl crying 'Why do they do this?' as she surveys the destruction of her neighborhood, which became defining images of civilian suffering in World War II
• The footage of civilians running for cover during an air raid, captured from Bryan's hotel window, showing the panic and confusion of life under bombardment
• The scenes of medical workers treating wounded civilians in makeshift hospitals, demonstrating the resilience and compassion amid destruction
• The final sequence showing the German forces entering Warsaw and the beginning of occupation, marking the end of Polish sovereignty
• The shots of destroyed cultural landmarks, including bombed churches and historic buildings, emphasizing the loss of cultural heritage

What audiences thought

When Siege was released in 1940, it had a profound impact on American audiences who were still largely isolated from the realities of the war in Europe. Many viewers were shocked by the graphic depiction of civilian casualties and urban destruction, as such images were rarely seen in American media at the time. The film was shown in theaters, schools, and community centers across the United States as part of educational efforts to inform the American public about the nature of the war. Audience reactions ranged from horror and sadness to anger at the brutality of the German forces. The film helped galvanize support for aid to European civilians and contributed to the growing debate about American involvement in the war. In the decades following World War II, the film continued to be used in educational contexts, helping new generations understand the human cost of the conflict. Today, audiences view the film as an invaluable historical document that provides an unmediated glimpse into one of the pivotal moments of the 20th century.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Robert Capa's Spanish Civil War photography
• Dziga Vertov's documentary techniques
• John Grierson's documentary movement principles
• The tradition of war correspondence photography from World War I

This film influenced

• World War II combat documentaries (1941-1945)
• The Battle of San Pietro (1945)
• Night and Fog (1955)
• The Sorrow and the Pity (1969)
• The Fog of War (2003)
• Modern war documentaries by filmmakers like Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington

Film restoration

Siege has been preserved by the Library of Congress as part of the National Film Registry selection in 2006. The original 35mm nitrate footage has been carefully preserved and transferred to modern safety film stock. The film is also held in the archives of the International Film Foundation, which Julien Bryan established. Multiple copies exist in various film archives and educational institutions worldwide. The National Archives in Washington D.C. maintains a copy as part of its World War II documentary collection. The film has undergone digital restoration to ensure its long-term preservation and accessibility for future generations. Given its historical significance, the film is considered well-preserved and accessible to researchers and the public through various archival channels.

Where to watch

• Library of Congress National Film Registry collection (available for viewing at LOC facilities)
• International Film Foundation archives
• Various university film studies departments
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) film collection
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum archives
• Some educational streaming platforms specializing in historical documentaries
• Selected film festival retrospectives on war documentaries
• Public domain archives (as the film has entered the public domain)