Esto ante todo

Both Tyrone Power and Joan Fontaine gave great performances in great films, especially Fontaine ('Rebecca' being a note-worthy example). Anatole Litvak is not a personal favourite director of mine, but he did make a lot of solid interesting films and it is hard to not appreciate him for making talented actors unknown early on into international stars (i.e. Charles Boyer) or making other actors more popular when they somewhat started to lose it (i.e. Ingrid Bergman with 'Anastasia').

Litvak may not be at his very best, though he does more than credibly here and deserves credit for maintaining Fontaine's popularity and stretching Power's acting ability, and 'This Above All' is not quite my definition of a great film. It is though very well done in a lot of areas, while Fontaine gives one of her better performances of this point of her career and Power excels in a different type of role for him. A personal favourite 'This Above All' may not be, but it was difficult to not appreciate it.

There is not an awful lot wrong with 'This Above All'. It is agreed though that some of the dialogue is on the preachy side, some of Fontaine's especially.

Some of the central relationship seemed a bit rushed with more time needed to develop and Prudence's decision making regarding what she still sees in Clive, considering how he behaves here, doesn't really ring true agreed.

Power though smolders in a difficult role that is tougher, darker sort of role and a completely different kettle of fish to his usual. Fontaine is touchingly noble and their chemistry scintillates and brings a lump to the throat at its best. The supporting cast also do well, Thomas Mitchell and Gladys Cooper always brought class to their roles and Nigel Bruce doesn't bumble or bluster about like he did in some of his other roles (such as his Dr Watson in the Sherlock Holmes films). Litvak's direction has style and atmosphere.

As does the photography, which is sumptuous and at other times eerie. The music is hauntingly beautiful, while enough of the script is intelligently written and the story poignant and with some tension to stop it from getting sudsy.

Concluding, not perfect but the cast particularly, and primarily the leads, make 'This Above All' worth seeing. 7/10

Tyrone Power once again proves what a brilliant actor he was in this film! Joan Fontaine is also wonderful as an upper-class English woman who joins the WAFs during WWII and meets and falls in love with a charming, but troubled, stranger (Power) with a mysterious past. This movie is not only well acted and touching, but also provides an interesting historical window into WWII England. A definite must see for Tyrone Power fans and anyone interested in WWII. Unfortunately, this movie is not available on video. However, for anyone who wishes to see it, I managed to catch it on the Fox Movie Channel, where it is sometimes shown.

Anatole Litvak's engrossing romantic drama, "This Above All," takes place in the early years of World War II, before the United States had entered the war. Like "Mrs. Miniver," the film was intended to boost sympathy and support for England, which was already engaged in a desperate battle with Nazi Germany. Set on a back-lot England with Academy-Award winning sets, the movie has a coziness associated with black-and-white Hollywood studio films of the Golden Era. Prudence Cathaway, a strong-willed young woman from a privileged background, played by 25-year-old Joan Fontaine, joins the WAF, a women's paramilitary group, over family protests. On a blind date one inky black night, she meets Clive Briggs, a moody mysterious man with a dark secret. When she subsequently sees her date in the daylight, he is the impossibly good looking Tyrone Power, and romance inevitably ensues. Despite Brigg's criticism of her own aristocratic background, Fontaine tolerates Power's cynical nature and his ambivalence about fighting to retain the English class system that supports the rich and privileged.

Although breezily entertaining, little occurs during the first half as Fontaine and Power become increasingly involved. The couple flirt, date, and go off for a week's holiday at the seaside, where they encounter some of Briggs's buddies. However, as Briggs's secret unfolds, the film turns darker, and the pro-English propaganda surfaces. Fontaine waxes eloquently about all that England means and why they must fight to preserve the country; meanwhile, Briggs denigrates an economic system that rewards the moneyed aristocracy and oppresses the poor; why should the lower classes fight and die, while the wealthy sip tea and dress for dinner. Veteran actress Gladys Cooper appears to embody the haughty side of undeserved privilege, while Nigel Bruce and Thomas Mitchell ably portray Powers's working class buddies. While the dark-eyed Tyrone Power plays Clive Briggs quite well, Joan Fontaine captures her every scene and turns in a lovely, delicate performance as the rebellious Prudence; her glowing face wordlessly expresses the young woman's growing affection for the handsome Briggs. The Oscar-nominated photography by Arthur C. Miller captures Fontaine's delicate complexion and underplayed expressions and highlights Power at his tall, dark, and handsome best.

Despite a dated message in R. C. Sheriff's screenplay, adapted from a novel by Eric Knight, "This Above All" moves at a brisk pace, and even those averse to romances will be drawn in by Fontaine's radiant performance. If 20th Century Fox wanted to convince American audiences of the importance of supporting a loyal ally against the Nazis, they could have done no better than enlist the aid of Joan Fontaine to do so. She and Power make a romantic pair, and "This Above All" rises above propaganda to be an enduring romantic entertainment.

This is a propaganda movie ,but which meant much for Litvak ,a Russian whose career began in Germany ,then continued in France ,before " Mayerling " led him to Hollywood : his film begins with the 1940 Dunkirk disaster and the armistice France was forced to sign with the nazis .

Like Wyler's "Mrs Minniver" ,it takes place in England ,where a young aristocrat (Fontaine) joins the WAAF ,partly a rebel stand against a selfish auntie (Gladys Cooper) .

The first part of the movie is everything but derivative : a man in civilian clothes (Power) who falls for a woman in uniform (funny to watch the women's training whilst we are used to seeing those of men).

The man is a deserter who left the army because he does not know why he 's fighting for :when the war is over , they will let us down,and the society won't care for us (it's not entirely false ,and sometimes soldiers coming home do not get what they deserve :it's not typically English);and for Clyde ,Prudence represents all that he hates the privileged people who make the other fight for their wealth. Not only Prude proves him wrong by joining the army ,but she also delivers a long patriotic eulogy of England ,their culture ;it may be full of clichés,but the actress's voice is so convincing it will win you over. On the other hand ,The priest's intervention is perhaps unwittingly preachy .

An occupied France (and other countries), bombs all over England : through Clive's.realization , "all above us" was meant to comfort and to encourage the people ; in 1942 ,in the darkest hours of the war , they had to know they would meet again some sunny day.

Although the English born, Laurence Olivier, Richard Greene, or Robert Donat would have done the part of Clive Briggs great justice, there was nothing wrong with the performance Tyrone Power gave in This Above All. Power does not even attempt an English accent, yet his performance is every bit as good as Robert Taylor's in Waterloo Bridge.

Eric Knight's novel was a big seller and the film is a serious examination as to why this is the people's war. In a curious way Power's views which do undergo a radical transformation are a mirror image of what Marlon Brando said in The Young Lions about class distinctions.

And in the same year of This Above All, Teresa Wright in Mrs. Miniver upheld the tradition of the upper classes. One of my favorite scenes from that film is Wright telling Richard Ney about the things she's involved in to make her corner of the world better. Joan Fontaine feels the same way, before she meets the cynical Power she tells her family that she feels she has to get in and do her bit. She joins the Women's Auxiliary Army Force as an enlistee, not even an officer. She feels as did Wright that class also carries responsibility.

Power and Fontaine are a perfectly matched pair, she just coming off her Oscar and him at the height of his box office draw. Hollywood's English colony fills out the rest of the cast with the exception of Thomas Mitchell who is inevitably Irish.

This Above All won an Oscar for Best Art Direction and it was nominated in several other categories. The film holds up remarkably well because it is both patriotic, but a very atypical and cynical film for its time, not your normal flag-waver.