Assignment in Brittany (1943)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Jack Conway

Writers:

Helen MacInnes (novel)
Anthony Veiller (writer) ...

Release Date:

11 March 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot Keywords:

Country Name In Title | Brittany | Resistance Fighter | Soldier | WWII

Cast

Jean-Pierre Aumont	...	Bertrand Corlay / Capt. Pierre Matard (as Pierre Aumont)
Susan Peters	...	Anne Pinot
Margaret Wycherly	...	Mme. Henriette Corlay
Signe Hasso	...	Elise
Richard Whorf	...	Jean Kerenor
George Coulouris	...	Capt. Hans Holz
John Emery	...	Capt. Deichgraber
Darryl Hickman	...	Etienne
Sarah Padden	...	Albertine (maid)
Adia Kuznetzoff	...	Louis Basdevant
Reginald Owen	...	Col. Trane
Miles Mander	...	Col. Herman Fournier
Alan Napier	...	Sam Wells
Odette Myrtil	...	Louis' sister
Juanita Quigley	...	Jeannine (Louis' niece)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Special Screening

I can't remember the exact year, but my mother and I were invited to an evening at the Uptown Theatre in Toronto, Ontario for a special screening of Assignment in Brittany in aid of the Free French movement. It was a very exciting time for me, and Jean Pierre Aumont was there in person. I was 14 or 15 at the time, and I have never forgot the evening. Our tickets were a gift from a french teacher at the Cental High School of Commerce. It was a gala evening, in spite of the fact that war was raging in Europe and the Pacific. I was of an age when I was entranced by movie stars, and to see Mr. Aumont in person was a dream come true.

I wonder if there are others who attended that show. Mr. Aumont was introduced, and spoke at length about the Free French movement, and encouraged donations to support them. I enjoyed the picture very much, as did my mother. There was a reception after the screening, where we were introduced to Mr. Aumont, a very gracious man. Perhaps it was the fact that the war had been on for it seemed forever, and the picture showed what ordinary citizens could do to help defeat the enemy. Certainly, although we did not suffer the devastation of actually being occupied or bombed, we were well aware of the loss of our dear family and friends. There were many films made about the war but this seemed special because of the appearance of people who had direct connection with the Free French movement, and we were hearing about it first hand.