Swing Kids

Swing Kids (1993) is an American historical drama directed by Thomas Carter — watch it online on iFILM. Hamburg, 1939. Three friends — Peter, Thomas, and Arvid — spend their days in Hitler Youth uniforms and their nights in illegal clubs where swing music plays despite the Nazi ban on American jazz. Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale head the cast.

For a while the double life holds. Then Peter's father is arrested for sheltering Jews, an SS officer starts taking an interest in the group, and the choice between dancing and marching stops being abstract. Thomas bends. Arvid refuses. The music that bound them together becomes the measure of exactly how far each one is willing to go.

Director Carter keeps the tone honest rather than triumphant — which makes the fracture lines between the three friends land harder than any set-piece would. Stream Swing Kids online on iFILM.