Joan of Paris (1942)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Robert Stevenson

Writers:

Jacques Théry (story) and
Georges Kessel (story) ...

Release Date:

20 January 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

Lured By Love Into The Relentless Grip Of The World's Most Dreaded TERROR!

Plot:

An RAF squadron is brought down over occupied France. The flyers get to Paris in spite of the fact that the youngest...

Plot Keywords:

Gestapo | Paris | France | Male Female Relationship | Church

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Michèle Morgan	...	Joan (as Michele Morgan)
Paul Henreid	...	Paul Lavallier
Thomas Mitchell	...	Father Antoine
Laird Cregar	...	Herr Funk
May Robson	...	Mlle. Rosay
Alexander Granach	...	Gestapo Agent
Alan Ladd	...	Baby
Jack Briggs	...	Robin
James Monks	...	Splinter
Richard Fraser	...	Geoffrey
Paul Weigel	...	Janitor at Mlle Rosay's
John Abbott	...	English Spy
The Robert Mitchell Boy Choir	...	Group Singers at Church

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7723)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

RKO constructed the studio's largest single set since The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939).

Movie Connections:

References Les misérables (1934)

Soundtrack:

La Marseillaise

Small scale Casablanca

Joan of Paris is best known for the joint debut of both Michelle Morgan and Paul Henreid on the American cinema. Henreid is a member of the Free French flying with the RAF and he and the crew are shot down over occupied France. Henreid and the group including a wounded Alan Ladd make their way to Paris where he tries to contact either the French underground or any British intelligence operatives.

When Henreid came, he came to stay in America, becoming a citizen years later. Morgan made a few films and went back to France after the war where she resumed her star status. She and Jean Gabin are probably the two most well known French players who managed to flee the occupation and continue their careers on foreign soil.

Henreid displays all the charm later put to full advantage in Casablanca and Now Voyager. Their romance is tender and all too tragically brief. Like Casablanca, Henreid wants to get back in the fight. Morgan, who's patron saint is Joan of Arc, will sacrifice all to aid him.

The best performance in this film is that of 20th Century Fox loan out to RKO, Laird Cregar. Cregar, a clever and epicene occupier who's bulk suggests Herman Goering, is the relentless pursuer of the downed fliers. Alan Ladd scored a notable success as the kid flier although he tries at times to affect a British accent. They should have just made him Canadian as they did all the other American actors who played in British locations and situations. It wasn't as bad as Gregory Peck's in The Paradine Case though.

Joan of Paris is a good, but routine product from RKO, one of the minor studios. In her next film Morgan would be opposite that American icon making his feature film role debut, Frank Sinatra in Higher and Higher. Still she and Henreid acquit themselves well, albeit in a minor key.