Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Joanna Mccarty Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Matylda Swan It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

lrrap ....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.A solid, extremely intense, and entertaining morale booster produced during the war's darkest days. The ending is so over-the-top it's almost operatic----but you'll stand up and cheer!LRPS-- Just watched the film again today (Jan 27, 2014); it's so darn good that I'm upping my rating from 8 stars to 9 Why? Because it is so expertly structured, paced, and directed. Each scene gives you JUST ENOUGH vital information to identify with the characters and the manner in which they evolve--especially Jean-Pierre Aumont and the way in which he takes over Duval's role as liaison with the Nazis and, in spite of the deterioration of his relationship with his comrades, gradually begins to hatch his daring plan to secure their release and that of his pal Gene Kelly.Also, the interplay between Jean-Pierre and Peter Lorre, who changes in an instant from sadistic bully to flustered, subservient lackey when his commanding officer chews him out for his incompetence, is deftly scripted and carefully guided by director Tay Garnett's hand.Other examples are the separate scenes between Jean-Pierre and Gene in the office of the camp commandant--- once again, superbly scripted and executed onscreen.These are but a few examples of the superior craft that went into the making of this totally overlooked gem.

bkoganbing I'm agreeing with the viewer who said that The Cross Of Lorraine was well made propaganda for its day. This film was a product of one of the big colossal studios in Hollywoood, MGM. But it wasn't accurate even at the time and people knew it even back then during World War II.A cross section of Frenchmen join to fight the Germans for the second time in the 20th century. But instead of protracted trench warfare like in 1914, the Germans overrun France as they did with the rest of Europe with their infamous tank Blitzkreig. This same group of Frenchmen are now prisoners taken to Germany.All different types become prisoners of the Nazis, the cautious and practical Jean-Pierre Aumont the only authentic Frenchman in the crowd, belligerent Gene Kelly between musicals, willing collaborationist Hume Cronyn and a priest Cedric Hardwicke forbidden to practice his religion. Among those guarding them is Peter Lorre, a German sergeant with a nice sadistic bent.The ending was ludicrous then. Unlike what you see most of the French neither collaborated or actively resisted, they just sat and waited and prayed for liberation. Very much unlike China or Russia in that conflict, no scorched earth for France in any way.You watch The Cross Of Lorraine it may be your cross to bear.

edwagreen A story of courage and defiance of the French people following their surrender to the Germans in 1940.French soldiers who surrendered are duped by the Germans and are instead taken to a prison of war camp where they are subjected to the most terrible conditions.Gene Kelly, in a non-singing role, is one such soldier. Punished for hitting German soldiers he is locked in solitary confinement.In his brief appearance as a priest, Cedric Hardwicke shines as a brave, defiant messenger of the Lord. He pays the ultimate price for attempting to conduct a religious service for someone shot trying to escape.There is also treachery and collaboration on the part of Hume Cronyn, a prisoner who because he could speak German was made an interpreter by the latter and apparently this went to his head. He also pays the ultimate price as in the ironic case of Peter Lorre, a German soldier caught up in an escape attempt and mistakenly killed by his fellow Nazis.The ending shows the determination and courage of a local village. This film is a tribute to such people.

MartinHafer I read some reviews on IMDb that I felt were a bit too harsh for this film, calling it "propaganda" or complaining about how the Germans were all portrayed as evil. And my answer to that is of course it's propaganda and one-sided--plus, they were Nazis (and that IS bad if you paid any attention in your history classes). You need to understand the context---it was made during the war and was intended not as a perfect representation of the Nazis and the Free French movement but as way to bolster support for the war effort at home. In that respect, the film was a tremendous success and stands as one of the better wartime propaganda films made by the Americans. I respect the film for its ability to touch the viewer--ever today when it's easy to laugh at the jingoistic style of the film since the Nazis seem like a distant memory.The film begins with the war in France in 1940. When a group of soldiers surrendered after the traitorous French government made peace with the Nazis, instead of being returned home they were sent to a German prison camp and starved and beaten in attempt to break their spirits. The Nazis were all the usual stereotypical bad guys you'd expect, though it was interesting to see the German actor Peter Lorre actually playing a Nazi. Despite his background, during the war he often played French or other non-German characters--this is a rare chance to see him play a German in an American film.To me, the most interesting characters weren't the Germans or even most of the French prisoners, but the collaborators who actually worked for the Nazis and thrived. Hume Cronyn played a juicy role as a Frenchman only too happy to side with his captors and betray his people. His character was very chilling, but true to this style of film, he got his ultimate reward for his treachery (sort of like way Peter Graves in STALAG 17). Jean-Pierre Aumont, another collaborator, is another story. While he reluctantly worked with the Germans to save his skin, he could not live with himself unless he continued to resist and fight them covertly--setting up an exciting escape towards the end of the film.The film ends on a very bloody and exciting note. In fact, now that I think about it, for a Hollywood film of the 1940s, it was an exceptionally bloody and violent film--though considering the subject matter, this WAS necessary. One particularly brutal scene that actually shocked me and my wife was when Aumont stabbed a German in the throat and it was done realistically and in a close-up shot! The bottom line is that most people viewing this film probably left the theater angry and wanting to kick Nazi butt--a good sign that the film achieved its goal. In fact, the film was so patriotic and uplifting that Aumont himself left the safety of the US after finishing this film and he joined the Free French himself and earning a lot of respect for his heroism.