Reunion in France (1942)

In German-occupied Paris, a Frenchwoman hides a downed RAF pilot and tries to smuggle him into Portugal despite the strict surveillance by the suspicious Gestapo officers.

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:

war romance | nazi | industrialist | raf pilot | arc de triomphe paris | 

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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:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German French

Release Date:

25 December 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Reunion

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,054,000 (estimated)

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

At a Nazi party, Frau Amy Schröder is introduced. She is played by Natalie Schafer, who would later go on to play Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell on Gilligan's Island (1964).

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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

Featured in Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star (2002)

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Soundtracks

La Marseillaise
(1792) (uncredited)
Written by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle
Variations played in the score throughout

User Reviews

Joan Crawford in occupied France during WWII...

Wearing a stunning array of gowns by Irene and photographed with glossy MGM care, Joan Crawford is a French woman (with a cultured American accent) who doesn't think France has to worry about the occupation of her country by Hitler's Nazis until they take over her home while she's vacationing elsewhere.

With the reality of war, comes the realization that her husband (Philip Dorn) might be collaborating with the Nazis. She loves him dearly but is beginning to despise his affiliation with so many Nazi friends. Then along comes an American pilot (John Wayne), whom she hides in her apartment until she can get him safely out of the country. That's the set-up in this basically suspenseful melodrama which, while unconvincing and full of twists and turns in the plot, is played by a competent team of actors, all of varying accents, who keep the story moving toward a not too surprising climax.

Among the good supporting players are Reginald Owen, Albert Basserman, Natalie Schaefer, John Carradine, Howard DaSilva, Henry Daniell and J. Edward Bromberg.

And yet, the whole film has the air of a minor B-film despite such extravagant settings and Crawford's never-ending wardrobe changes. It also has the air of artificiality which works against sustaining the sort of suspenseful atmosphere it seeks to gain throughout.

Philip Dorn rates special mention as Joan's true love. He gives a colorful, nuanced performance that is interesting to watch.