The Foreman Went to France

This is an excellent war film from Ealing which depicts true events.It succeeds despite the lack of acting skills on the part of Tommy Grinder.What is rather interesting about this film is the way it highlights the activities of enemy agents and the fifth column,lifesaving the more famous"Next Of Kin".With the exception of the boat captain nearly every Frenchman is depicted as in league with enemy,hardly very flattering but obviously reflecting a common held view at that time.Even the army officer turns out to be an enemy agent.Gordon Jackson is impressive in an early role and Constance Cummings is clearly cast with the American market in mind.

Ealing Studio were finally hitting their stride as purveyors of wartime propaganda when they despatched Clifford Evans to France to do his bit for blighty.

Evans being Welsh, Gordon Jackson Scotch and Tommy Trinder being English meant that all the nationalities were covered (with the Irish conspicuous by their absence); while Constance Cummings played a bolshy neutral Yank (who actually uses the word 'Capitalist') to keep American audiences happy.

The French are initially portrayed as a bunch of indolent characters in berets who just shrug their shoulders (one of whom bears a suspicious resemblance to Pierre Laval) apart from Robert Morley who fleetingly appears as a Vichyite mayor in a bowler hat; but the tone darkens considerably when they encounter roads lined with refugees.

It has been a decade or more since I last saw this film. In 1942 it must have been very close to British audience. Nowadays most people still are aware of the evacuation from Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) but the evacuation from Normandy and other points along the coast (Operation Ariel) is far less well known even although nearly as many British troops were brought home by Ariel as by Dynamo. The film did not dwell too much on the grim conditions (the audience wanted a bit of escapism after all) but conveyed the notion that no-one knows when they will be called on to "do their bit" for victory and hopefully rise to the occasion.

By the time of the release of the film the Battle of Midway had been won, the Germans had 57 tanks in North Africa and Generals January and February had taken their toll of the Germans in the Eastern Front. Although the Battle of the Atlantic had yet to be won the audience had grounds for optimism. The film had to have been made before it was clear that the tide had turned so it was quite remarkable that it should have hit just the right note.

The Foreman Went to France was my favorite film screened at Cinevent 2012.

This is the story of a British worker who sees that the German army is invading France and that the British machines which make weapons for airplanes are in danger of being taken by the enemy. He takes it upon himself to go to France to take them home, and along the way meets a blonde, two soldiers, and a group of orphans. This movie takes us on a journey as the protagonist experiences the many aspects of war and it is never dull. It was nice to see the British point of view of the war which is much more realistic than the highly optimistic war movies from America.

If you are going to make a propaganda film then in this we have two of the greatest names of the British 20th century. The happy band of actors contribute to a remarkable film, designed to convey the role of civvies and British army retreating from occupied France.

Stirring stuff. It helpfully conveyed the loss of life for civilians and sacrifice made against the odds in a war weary Europe and especially Britain.

Loosely based on a true story of a hero sent to bring home machine gun making equipment behind enemy lines the film is a wonderful triumph.

Comedy, heroism, sacrifice and pathos. Well it was wartime Europe. Watch it and enjoy as a piece of remarkable theatre.

10/10.