"Les otages" is not a propaganda movie; and even if it is one,it's a message of love,peace and understanding on the eve of WW2 ; Raymond Bernard 's pacifism cannot,by no means ,be called into question .It might be considered ,at least in its first third ,as a prologue to his "les croix de bois"(1931) ,one of the most important movies dealing with WW1 slaughter .
It takes half an hour before the real action begins but it does not matter : the first third is necessary to put things into perspective .The mayor has been in
conflict with a rich landowner for years: He has always denied him the access to his fields through his barn .But eventually he gives up :the squire summons a fanfare to celebrate the event, but ,much to his displeasure ,the mayor has erected a wall in his barn with a very narrow passage :you have to be very very slim to go through it.So the problem is not settled .
All along his movie , Bernard switches abruptly from comedy to tragedy ,helped by the creme de la creme of the actors of the time:Charpin, Saturnin Fabre , Pierre Larquey,Noel Roquevert ,all giving superlative performances .
Comedy turns into tragedy :the bell tolls at the church ; WW1 has begun;in the fields , they suddenly stop working , the figures stiffen ,filmed into the light.
No hint at the war ,not a word was spoken about it in the first third :the inhabitants are going to shed their blood for something which is not
concern of them ;and yet ,like everywhere in France , they go to battle full of innocent enthusiasm .
The war begins to take its toll : the first two soldiers "killed in action " news reach the village (admirably depicted by the director,with an incredible sense of decency.)Overnight , the village is occupied by the German soldiers ,an officer is killed by the mayor's son .If the murderer is not found, five hostages will be shot .
Oddly -this is the most questionable side of the movie- ,the men not gone to war fight for the honor to be one of the five victims : actually it's as much a question of their self-importance as a way to show that the rear is as brave as the front : and to them ,to be part of the chosen few means that they are the notables of their village.
Unlike other French (Calef's "Jericho" 1946) or American movies (Sirk's "Hitler's madman" ,Lang's "hangmen also die" ),the hostages' predicament is given an unusual treatment ,blending drama (Larquey singing about the puppets) and joie de vivre ( the banquet with the food the mayor's daughter brings them).
And the message survives :what's the point of fighting for a tiny right of passage ?Don't the men in high places fight for pieces of land with their citizens' blood?Isn't it a sinister omen ,this little occupation of an insignificant village when the whole country was to be invaded shortly after?
