The Amish depicted in the movie “Witness” and their awareness of the other world

*This article touches on the ending of the story, so we recommend watching the movie before reading it.

“Witness” Synopsis

Rachel, a widow, and her son Samuel were "Amish" who respected the precepts without violating their sect, and continued to live in a pre-modern way. On their way from their village to visit relatives, they happen to witness a murder. John Book, the detective in charge of the case, tries to protect the mother and child by using them as witnesses, but immediately after it is revealed that the culprit is within the police force, he is attacked and seriously injured. He heads to an Amish village for recuperation and escape, but assassins are closing in on him every moment.

``The Witness'' (1985), which was the Hollywood film of the master film Witness and greatly boosted Harrison Ford's career, can be categorized as a detective movie or a crime movie. Dew.

Samuel (Lukas Haas), a young boy who happened to witness a murder, and his mother Rachel (Kelly McGillis) are targeted by the killer. Detective John Book (Ford), the main character, tries to protect the mother and child, but is shot and seriously injured and takes shelter at Rachel's farm. Rachel has just lost her husband, but she gradually becomes attracted to John.

If I give you just a brief synopsis, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's just a simple crime melodrama. However, the film was nominated in eight categories at the 58th Academy Awards, winning for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing. It can be said that this was a rare feat for a ``genre movie'' of the 1980s.

“Witness” preview

Also, very few people watch this movie and think of it as just a crime movie. The biggest factor is that Rachel and Samuel belong to a religious community called the Amish. Approximately 70% of the screening time is devoted to showing the unique culture and daily life of the Amish. This is a time allocation that would be unimaginable for a typical genre movie.

So, what kind of values ​​do the Amish people who form the core of the work have? By knowing the Amish, might we be able to see the essence of the special nature of ``Witness''? I am writing this manuscript for such consideration.

Index

• Encounters and collisions of different cultures that were never supposed to meet
• Room for interpretation created by omitting explanatory depictions
• Can the teachings of “nonviolence” stand against violence?
• The light and darkness of the Amish that caused a stir after the movie was released.

Encounters and collisions of different cultures that were never supposed to meet

The Amish are a Christian sect that originated in Switzerland at the end of the 17th century, and many of them migrated to the United States due to persecution and conflict with other sects. It is known that up to the present day, the way of life has remained almost the same as it was when they were first settled. They mainly engage in agriculture and do not have electricity. Driving a car is prohibited, and horse-drawn carriages are the main means of transportation. Entertainment such as television, movies, and pop music is prohibited, and marriage is only allowed among Amish comrades.

They also consider frugality and modesty to be virtues, and do not use buttons on their clothes as they are considered to be extravagant. As a non-Amish myself, it doesn't really make sense to me to say that their buttons are ornate, but they are a people who continue to uphold many customs born out of a long tradition. They have as little interaction as possible with the general public (although they do have economic ties such as business transactions) and do not participate in elections. As much as possible, they continue to live fulfilling lives within their own communities.

 "Witness" (c) Photofest / Getty Images

The story of ``Witness'' begins when Rachel, who was born and raised in an Amish community, loses her husband in an accident and takes her son Samuel to visit her sister in Baltimore.

The Amish have a tradition of leaving the community and living in the secular world once they reach the age of 16, so Rachel probably knew something about outside society. However, this is young Samuel's first trip to see another world, and he can't control his curiosity. However, soon after leaving the village, he encounters a murder at Philadelphia Station, where he is connecting.

Amish teachings are characterized by God's teachings of "nonviolence" and "forgiveness." John Book, who has dealt with dangerous criminals, has no way of understanding the Amish way of thinking, and even to Rachel, John Book is nothing more than a crude infidel. However, as they are forced to face violence, their values ​​come into conflict. The underlying theme of this work is the approach and encounter between two worlds that were never supposed to mix.

Room for interpretation created by omitting explanatory depictions