Cross of Lorraine

Grim,Taunt, Tightly Written, Superbly Acted War Melodrama - MGM firing on all Cylinders !
World War 11 films that depict "Patriots and Quisling's"- the stoic, furtive, passive and violent civil resistance to the Nazi/Japanese Occupation of conquered nations were extremely popular with wartime audiences ."Joan of Paris"1941,"This Land is Our Land"1942,"Hangmen also Die"1943, "North Star"1943,"Edge of Darkness"1943, "China"1943, "Dragon Seed"1944, "The Seventh Cross"1944, "To Have and to Have Not"1944 and "Hotel Berlin"1945 are all outstanding examples of well crafted movies of this type. "The Cross of the Lorraine" is arguably the best and most representative example of this genre along with the excellent "Hangmen Also Die" because it is so grim, gritty and realistic. Its screenplay stresses character development by showing Frenchmen and Germans "warts and all" as venal opportunists, self sacrificing patriots, sadistic bullies, men who have lost their faith and courage and then regroup within themselves to find redemption. The film depicts the...

Terrific, violent WWII potboiler starring Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly trades his dancing shoes for combat boots and really shines in this shockingly violent film, which makes up in nail-biting tension what it lacks in subtlety. The scenes between Gene and Peter Lorre in the prison cell are as brutal as anything from the era, and the big escape scene with Jean Pierre Aumont driving the get-away ambulance will put you on the edge of your seat and keep you there. Kelly's acting chops are really showcased here, as his cocky, defiant spirit is shattered by his prison experience, transforming him into a broken emotional invalid.

But that's BEFORE the final moments of the film. When the wily, dashing JeanPierre unexpectedly turns the tables on the Nazis, we see a brief close-up of Kelly's tormented face---the explosive will-to-fight rekindled within him---a split-second image that continues to dominate my memory of this film 40 years after having first seen it on local TV.

It's about time that MGM-Warner's got around to...

Cross of Lorraine
It would be hard to add any comments to the reviews already posted. If you are are adding to your collection of WW2 era spy and resistance type films, dont forget to add this gem

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