Barry - Der Held von St. Bernhard

There's a mistake in the plot summary:the heroine does not go to America!

Old fashioned melodrama ,which includes all the usual suspects :the young girl (Simone Valère)whose rich father hopes she will marry into money,being himself a wealthy bourgeois,her lover -who unfortunately is a poor lad-,the mean fiancé who has his rival join Napoleon's armies en route to Italy,and to top it all,the good soon-to-be-monk-cause-he -loves -the girl-too-but-he's-too-old for her (Fresnay)...and a rescue dog (no,sorry,two of them,Barry and Barry's son ,two big St Bernards). All the story takes place in the Alps .

First part is entertaining,but the movie becomes preachy in the last 40 minutes .Sometimes,we are not far from Fresnay's future "Défroqué" .A confused script does not help.Lovely score.

To whom it may concern:Richard Pottier directed "fanfare d'amour" which was remade by Wilder as " some like it hot" ,but his film is nowhere to be found in France.His best work is arguably "meurtres" which transcends melodrama -which "Barry does not- to become a genuine film noir.(see this title)

Sua Última Missão (1949) is the kind of film that doesn't shout to be remembered - it whispers, and that whisper stays with you. It's a subtle, introspective post-war drama, more focused on emotional truth than spectacle, and it's precisely this restraint that gives it power.

Anchored by a quietly compelling lead performance, the story explores the personal toll of duty, honor, and regret. It unfolds with the slow burn of a character study, allowing the audience to reflect alongside the protagonist as he navigates the lingering shadows of his final mission.

The cinematography is modest but effective, and the film's mood is permeated with a sense of melancholic reflection - not sadness, but rather the weight of memory. There's beauty in its simplicity, and authenticity in its silences.

This is not a film for those seeking thrills or overt drama. Instead, it's a meditation - one that rewards patience and attention. A hidden gem for those who appreciate classic films that speak softly, but carry depth.