Designed to gather sympathy for the Russian people and strengthen American support for the U.S. government’s alliance with the Soviet Union during World War II, Lewis Milestone’s 1943 drama focuses on the people of a tranquil Soviet farming collective in 1941 whose lives are shattered following a violent invasion by the Germans. Scripted by Lillian Hellman, with cinematography by James Wong Howe, the film features a stellar cast including Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews, Walter Huston, Erich von Stroheim, Walter Brennan and Farley Granger in his film debut. “The North Star” was condemned by some as Communist propaganda, but it had its supporters among prominent film critics as well. Nominated for six Academy Awards, it is a fascinating blend of politics and melodrama. Free, at the Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater located at 19053 Mt. Pony Rd. in Culpeper, VA. No reservations required. For more information, call 202-707- 9994.