Mademoiselle France (1942)
"Reunion in France" (original title)

Frenchwoman Michele de la Becque, an opponent of the Nazis in German-occupied Paris, hides a downed American flyer, Pat Talbot, and attempts to get him safely out of the country.

Director:

Jules Dassin

Writers:

Jan Lustig (screenplay), Marvin Borowsky (screenplay),

Stars:

Joan Crawford, John Wayne, Philip Dorn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joan Crawford	...	Michele de la Becque
John Wayne	...	Pat Talbot
Philip Dorn	...	Robert Cortot
Reginald Owen	...	Schultz
Albert Bassermann	...	General Hugo Schroeder
John Carradine	...	Ulrich Windler
Ann Ayars	...	Juliette
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Durand
Moroni Olsen	...	Paul Grebeau
Henry Daniell	...	Emile Fleuron
Howard Da Silva	...	Anton Stregel (as Howard da Silva)
Charles Arnt	...	Honoré
Morris Ankrum	...	Martin
Edith Evanson	...	Genevieve
Ernst Deutsch	...	Captain (as Ernest Dorian)

Storyline

Frenchwoman Michele de la Becque, an opponent of the Nazis in German-occupied Paris, hides a downed American flyer, Pat Talbot, and attempts to get him safely out of the country.

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Plot Keywords:

nazi | collaborator | dunkirk | military | designer | 

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Taglines:

WHAT A THRILL! Startling drama of a stranded Yankee flyer and a Parisian beauty!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

25 December 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Reunion

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min 99 min (Turner library print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally scheduled as a February 1943 release under the name "Reunion", the movie was moved up to a Christmas 1942 release with the final title because of the increased interest in the war in France. Most trade papers reviewed the film with the title "Reunion" due to early press previews, and the copyright registry bears that title also.

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Quotes

Michelle 'Mike' de la Becque: This is very pretty.
Martin: There's an exceptional view of the city.
Michelle 'Mike' de la Becque: I've seen Paris before.
Martin: Not this Paris, mademoiselle.
[Walking towards the door]
Martin: The bedroom suite is this way.
Michelle 'Mike' de la Becque: Wait. Martin, you've known me for a long time.
Martin: When you were very little, you wanted to marry me so that you could always have chocolate pudding.
Michelle 'Mike' de la Becque: At my first ball, it was you who fastened my dress when it came undone.
Martin: Such memories belong to another lifetime, mademoiselle. One which has come to an end. And which, ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Xtro (1983)

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Soundtracks

"I'll Be Glad When You're Dead (You Rascal You)"
(1931) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Spo-De-Odee
Played by a negro band in the nightclub and sung by Buck Woods

User Reviews

JW vs the Boche

John Wayne plays an American airforce pilot shot down over war-torn France, taken in by the enchanting Joan Crawford who conceals his identity posing him as her chauffeur until she can arrange for his passage to safety. Her boyfriend however appears to be conspiring with the Boche, and so an elaborate plan is devised to spirit both Wayne and Crawford (who have formed a romantic connection) out of Paris and to Lisbon with the aid of resistance fighters and British intelligence.

Great performances showcases Crawford's acting talents and dark beauty, outshining the burly exterior of Wayne (which it must be said, is more subdued than usual) while John Carradine has a key supporting role as an unwelcome Gestapo agent later in the film. If you look carefully, you'll also spot Ava Gardner in a small role as a sales girl.

While there's some jingoist sentiments to this film (made during WWII, the fade-out shot has the word "courage" beamed across the screen), there's sufficient dramatic plot twists and thrills to entertain for the lengthy duration. I personally found the movie to be a watchable B-grade war intrigue, with an almost film noir characteristic in Crawford's enigmatic heroine.