‘Silence’ Tale of Heroism Proves Golden

We can stand being reminded that bad things can bring out the best in people, not just the worst. “Hidden in Silence,” an exceptional movie on Lifetime tonight, is such a reminder. It is the true story of a Polish Catholic teenager who risked her life to save 13 Jewish men, women and children from the Nazis during World War II.

Kellie Martin, the sweet-faced star of “Life Goes On” and “Christy,” turns in an impressive, mature performance as Fusia, a devoutly religious girl whose heroism is born out of her horror at what happens to her Jewish friends under Nazi rule.

When her employers, the Diamant family, are sent to the Jewish ghetto, Fusia provides them with black market food and other necessities. As the transport of ghetto residents to the camps accelerates, with tragic results for the Diamants, Fusia and her 7-year-old sister (Gemma Coughlan, a notable child actress) eventually harbor 13 escapees under the very noses of watchful neighbors and the German military.

Although their discovery would have meant her death as well, Fusia sheltered and fed her charges for two years, until Russian soldiers liberated the town. As you get a sense of what that meant day-to-day--the grinding work, the constant fear and the sheer luck--her commitment and their survival are astounding.

Standouts among the solid cast include Tom Radcliffe as Max, a Diamant son and Fusia’s first fugitive; Marion Ross as his mother and Joss Ackland as Fusia’s enigmatic factory employer. Richard A. Colla directed the film, which was shot in the Czech Republic; Stephanie Liss wrote the absorbing script. It includes a postscript revealing what happened to the real people involved.

* “Hidden in Silence” airs at 9 tonight on Lifetime.