JOAN OF PARIS
US, 1942, 95 minutes, Black and White.
Michelle Morgan, Paul Henreid, Thomas Mitchell, Laird Cregar, Alan Ladd.
Directed by Robert Stevenson.
Joan of Paris is standard well-made propaganda entertainment of the early '40s. Michelle Morgan, who was to have a long career in France, made a few Hollywood films at this time and Paul Henreid was about to make Casablanca and have a successful Hollywood career in the '40s. They are supported by a regular Hollywood cast led by Thomas Mitchell. Direction is by Robert Stevenson who later made many Disney films including Mary Poppins. The film might be compared with such other propaganda films from R.K.O. as Jean Renoir's This Land Is Mine with Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara. The story in itself is of interest, there are parallels made between the heroine and Joan of Arc, there is a message of self-sacrifice at the end.
1. The impact of such propaganda films during World War Two? Now? Their comment on the war, the mentality during the war? Morale-boosting? Portrait of human struggle and heroism?
2. Production values, the stars, France in the early 1940s? The impact for Americans who had just joined the war? The atmosphere of occupied France? The musical score?
3. The presentation of occupied France: the countryside. English fliers crashing and needing to be rescued. occupied Paris, Fulk and his smooth sounding tyranny. the Gestapo and spies, the role of the church. the parish priest, the ordinary citizens like Joan. the continual danger. reaction against the Germans? How well were these elements suggested?
4. The focus on the fliers and their crash, the group in themselves, the escape from the Germans after the confrontation in the cafe (and his later recognising them)? Their taking his money and the effects of this on Joan? The plan of getting to Paris? Babe and his injury? The arrival in Paris. the rendezvous in the church? Hiding in the church and the escape into the sewers? Their hiding?
5. The focus of the film on Paul? His leadership. relationship with Father Antoine? His confession, his eluding the Gestapo with the incident with the candle? The encounter with Joan and her helping him in the cafe. the kiss. with the dress? His giving her the money and its leading to her arrest? Falling in love with her? Hiding? The church sequence and his arrest? The interrogation by Fulk and his being let go? Contact with the teacher? The plan for escaping? His returning to fight the war inspired by Joan and his experience? The World War Two heroic type?
6. Joan as a young girl in Paris. her work in the cafe, her devotion to Saint Joan. her prayer and Paul hearing it, her helping him., buying the dress and her delight, the money at the fashion shop? Her continued help? Taking messages? The escape and her being arrested? The interrogation? Her deciding not to reveal anything? Her heroism? Her death and the support of Father Antoine? The self-sacrifice needed for the liberation of France?
7. Father Antoine and the role of the clergy in the Resistance? His friendship with Paul, the confession sequence. hiding the fliers in the sewers, the message to the prison and his interrogation of the English prisoner, his being searched. helping the dying man? Helping Joan?
8. Fulk and his relationship with the Nazis? Suave manner? Authoritarian? His despising his underlings? The search for the fliers? Interrogation of Paul and seeming friendship. the torture of Joan and her death?
9. The teacher and her class, patriotism, communications and network. her death? The spies using her?
10. A blend of action and human drama? A plausible war story? Tailored for entertainment, propaganda? Exploration of characters. situations? War spirit? Self-sacrifice and morale?
