Ainsi finit notre nuit

Stateless refugees from Hitler's Germany must move from one country to the next in this realistic film from 1941. The realism is in the cast of actors other than the well known Glenn Ford, Frederic March, Frances Dee, and Margaret Sullavan, those playing the smaller but important parts of spies, sympathizers, officials, restaurateurs, nurses, etc...all with a keen eye for authenticity and details. As well, one of the best parts in the film is played by Erich Von Stroheim as an intelligent, sympathetic, and cunning SS officer who's out to arrest the non-conformist played in a terrific part by Frederic March. So while we follow the main characters and a touching love story and a biting role for March, the real value of the picture is the portrait it paints in its portrayals of the other people caught up in the pre-war manoeuvrings.

It's 1937 Austria. Josef Steiner (Fredric March) and teenager Ludwig Kern (Glenn Ford) are picked up by the police. They and many others are on the run and in hiding from the Nazis. Josef is offered clemency to turn against the others including those who helped him escape the concentration camp. He had left behind his wife Marie (Frances Dee). Ludwig falls for fellow Jewish exile Ruth Holland (Margaret Sullavan). After Austria is taken over by the Nazis, Josef becomes a hunted man.

This is a fine wartime film with one Oscar nomination under its belt. March and Ford are good. March has some powerful scenes while this is an early breakout role for Ford. I still think that the movie would be more powerful if it kept only one main character. More than anything, these journeys feel real and that's important during this time. It shows the oppressiveness of the police state and the callous cruelty of the Nazis.

The engaging,idiosyncratic genius of supporting players Leonid Kinskey, Sig Ruman ,et. al. is worth the viewing. The earnest, beseeching , concerned and compassionate soul of Margaret Sullavan is worth the viewing. The affable, unwontedly blithe and youthful Glenn Ford is worth the viewing. The fortitude , hope, courage ,and quiet valor of Frederick March is worth the viewing. The scene wherein March desperately seeks a last fleeting view of his wife, the ethereally beautiful Frances Dee ere the darkness of the Holocaust descends to engulf him beggars description.

Wartime drama from United Artists and director John Cromwell. Three Austrian citizens find themselves outcasts in their own land after the rise of fascism. Josef Steiner (Fredric March) is persona non grata thanks to his outspoken political beliefs, while young man Ludwig Kern (Glenn Ford) learns that he is half-Jewish. Academic Ruth Holland (Margaret Sullavan) is fully Jewish, with the added "crime" of having been engaged to an Aryan. These struggles to survive as they are arrested and deported multiple times, sent to countries throughout Europe.

This film was a political hot potato when it was released, as Hollywood was warned by the Production Code not to make any overtly anti Nazii films. Therefore this adaptation of an Erich Maria Remarque novel was independently produced by David Loew and Albert Lewin, who took their chances with the film getting approval, which it did. It's a powerful, moving indictment of the activities of the time, with good performances, especially from a very young Glenn Ford, whose career was said to have been greatly boosted by his turn here. Ironically, both star Fredric March and director John Cromwell would become subjects of US government displeasure during the HUAC era. The movie earned an Oscar nomination for Best Score (Louis Gruenberg).

Not best written (choppy) yet realistic melodrama depicting very real times during WWII. Movie is notable for Anna Sten's brief appearance (admittedly, one of my favorites) who was more or less done-in by Hollywood yet never failed to deliver superb performances. Either Glenn Ford's first or one of his first movies. Depressing yet worth seeing. Good luck, because I think I got one of the last VHS copies around.