Jeanne de Paris

Celebrated French pilot Paul Lavallier (Paul Henreid) is one of the survivors after their bomber gets shot down. He is hunted by the Nazis and has been convicted in absentia by the Vichy government. He arrives in Paris and finds help from his former teacher Father Antoine (Thomas Mitchell). Cafe waitress Joan (Michèle Morgan) helps him to escape back to Britain.

This was released a couple of months after Pearl Harbor. One could see how this propaganda of heroism and self-sacrifice nails the zeitgeist of the times. By the title, the ending could be easily assumed. There are moments of thrills although I want more of them. Of course, there is a scene with La Marseillaise although Casablanca is a more emotional rendering. This is fine but there are better classics of its kind.

An under-rated but excellent film is 1942's "Joan of Paris."

While it is still another World War 11 story of allied soldiers, trying to get back to their homeland from an occupied France, it is certainly worth seeing.

The acting by Michele Morgan, Paul Henried and Thomas Mitchell is first rate.

Cornered by the Gestapo, Morgan acts like the true Joan of Arc.

May Robson, who was so good in "Lady for A Day," shines this time in a supporting role, as an elderly teacher who is also a member of the French resistance. Look for a young Alan Ladd is a brief but pivotal role as one of the group of soldiers.

Just as we saw in Casablanca, the year after this film, there is a memorable scene; this time children are singing the Marseilles at a time of adversity.

Obviously, the film is timely as it was made during the war when the free French fought alongside the British to combat the Nazi menace.

Paul Henreid (Paul) leads a troop of 5 British fighter pilots shot down over France by the Nazis. They must reach Paris and then find a way back to England. Father Thomas Mitchell is there to help in his capacity as a man of the Church, as is waitress Michele Morgan (Joan) who gets heavily drawn into the plot. Gestapo agent Alexander Granach is a constant menace throughout the film as is the more measured Laird Cregar (Herr Funk). Can the Brits stay one step ahead…..?

The cast are all good in this effort including May Robson (Mlle Rosay) as a contact in the Resistance. All are good with the exception of Alan Ladd (Baby)as one of the shot down pilots. What an idiot he is. He gets a scene in a sewer in which we are meant to sympathize. No chance. Thank God for that. There is also a cheesy scene with some children that is way over the top. The whole singing of the Marseillaise was done with far more impact in "Casablanca" from the same year. Those two scenes aside, it is a story that keeps you watching with a couple of sinister bad guys. They don't give up and are not so naïve as they come across as. Not everyone gets out of this one alive.

I have no problem with the casting of Mitchell or Henreid as Frenchmen, or Hans Conreid as a Gestapo agent. This was a generally engaging story of Allied flyers hiding out in German-occupied Paris in World War Two and their attempts to escape aided by Joan, played by the lovely and charming Michele Morgan. Watch for a young Alan Ladd in a small role. Stealing the show is the great Laird Cregar as the chief Gestapo agent. Cregar was a superb actor, but he must have tired of all the evil people he was forced to play owing to his weight; Henreid would get the girl and he'd get slapped. Cregar, a young man, went on a crash diet that apparently lacked needed nutrients - he died suddenly. And it was a shock and great loss to Hollywood, and to us all.

Five pilots are shot down over France and escape to Paris. Their mission is to contact British Intelligence and escape back to Britain. This movie makes you feel that you are indeed in Paris. Most of the action takes place at night and then makes brilliant use of shadows to heighten the suspense. The movie centers around a barmaid, Joan, and her growing relationship with Paul. Surrounding this is the Gestapo's growing presence as they work at catching the fliers. With all that is happening, the movie takes time for Paul and Joan to look to the future and grow ever more in love. The last 1/3 of the movie deals with Paul's attempts to get away from a Gestapo agent intent on following him and capturing the other fliers. Very suspenseful. Finally, one of the great roles in the movie, that of the Nazi chief in Paris, is Herr Funk (played by Laird Cregar. He dominates every scene that he is in. He truly adds a great touch to the movie. The movie would not have been as dramatic as it was without him. 8/10