Levántate mi amor

In the final analysis, a film is about cinematography. From the very beginning at the Spanish prison, extraordinary cinematography is used to an exceptional degree, and it continues through the film. There are minor exceptions, as with the file film of airplanes flying. More importantly, the film claims the obvious: The Spanish government in 1939 had more than casual leanings toward Berlin. The bombing of Guernica by the Nazi air force is testimony, here reinforced. Tom Martin (Ray Millard) says he had a pet rat in his jail cell named "Adolph." Spain's neutrality during World War Two is in question with Paramount Pictures, as it was in diplomatic circles. Of course, a 1940 movie about event of 1939 has the advantage of historical retrospect, yet the public actions of the Spanish government stand. Claudette Colbert as Agusta Nash is the career woman whose career comes before love, who puts her career before all. Her assignment as Special Berlin Correspondent is to tell of Hitler and his gang. A series of unpredictable events leads her to redefine her sense of patriotism. There are, in effect, many loves which must arise and spite the envious moon. Cinematography, historical theme, and some darn good acting all unite for an effective historical perspective on life at the beginnings of World War Two.

I loved this film from beginning to end. It made me laugh and it made me cry, and it left me with the feeling that I had watched one of the best screen romances ever. The script was so wonderfully written, the dialogues really sparkled like diamonds and ... Ray Milland was handsomer here than in any other film I have seen him!! He treated Clodette Colbere with a mixture of humor ,tenderness and respect, that was very endearing and touching. At moments, he seemed like an insecure little boy, and I am sure that he was never like that with any other of his co-stars. Needless to say, I loved this aspect of his very much!!! Something else that I found interesting is that the film was made almost simultaneously with the historical events it describes. This adds to its authenticity and gives us a sense of watching history in the making. The mixing of comedy and drama does not annoy me. It is more than realistic and in fact welcome, here. We deal with two very smart and out of the ordinary people, living very unusual lives, taking active parts in what goes on around them, so it is to be expected that they will have an acute sense of humor as well as forceful feelings about the war and about each other. In our lives there is place for both comedy and drama, why it should not be so for a movie, who depicts life? Just to add that the DVD now available, (spanish edition but with English audio)has very good quality of sound and picture, and does justice to this uniquely beautiful film.

I am so mad at myself because I watched this in the 80's and 90's on American Movie Classics and like an idiot I didn't record it. Now I haven't seen it on any channel in years and it isn't available on VHS or DVD.

This is just such a breath of fresh air for a 1940 movie. It's a movie where the woman is as smart as the man and is allowed to show it and in the end stands tall with him instead of behind him. The dialogue is funny, which given the exceptional writers like Billy Wilder, is not surprising. Colbert and Milland have wonderful chemistry. It's a movie I adore from start to finish. Now if only Paramount would get off their arses and release this movie on DVD, I'd be thrilled.

Definitely in my all time top 10. The Milland/Colbert pairing is fantastic, there is wonderful chemistry between the two stars but it is Colbert who as the independent career woman Augusta Nash launched me on my love of 1930's/1940's films and I would recommend this as a fabulous example of what films of that era have to offer a modern audience.

The opening sequences set the adventurous and romantic tone of the movie. The scenes in Maxim's and the in the horse drawn carriage on Monmartre are wonderfully romantic as Tom (Milland) plots to overcome Augusta's business only attitude. A fabulous film which gets home the patriotic message needed as WWII commenced without ever overwhelming the wonderful adventurous story.

Mitchell Leisen gets superb performances from CLAUDETTE COLBERT and RAY MILLAND in ARISE, MY LOVE.

It's a comedy/drama with Claudette as a journalist tired of covering fluffy stories who decides to get into serious journalism by rescuing a man about to be executed during the Spanish Civil War (Milland) so that she can be the first writer to get a scoop on a great story. As soon as she and her prisoner meet, the deft comic timing of these two pros are given great support from Billy Wilder's clever script. Early on, there's a scene of mistaken intentions that has Ray thinking Claudette wants to seduce him. He's oblivious to the fact that she merely wants to take some photos of him for the article she intends to write. The double entendre dialog has seldom been matched, in this scene alone.

Personally, I prefer "Midnight," another Leisen/Colbert film shown before this one on TCM. It's even wittier and much funnier. The trouble with ARISE, MY LOVE is that it attempts to do too many things at once and emerges as an uneven romantic comedy with a war background. For the ending, Claudette gets to deliver a flag waving speech that is obviously meant for 1940 audiences who were facing the prospect of getting involved in WWII.

Lots of laughs along the way with both stars delivering excellent performances.