THE SEVENTH CROSS
US, 1944, 110 minutes, Black and white.
Spencer Tracy, Signe Hasso, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Agnes Moorhead, Ray Collins, Felix Bressart, George Macready.
Directed by Fred Zinnemann.
A strong anti-Nazi propaganda film of 1944. Produced by M.G.M. with its customary finesse and gloss, the film was director Fred Zinnemann's first major directorial work. He was to go on to fame with such films as High Noon, The Sundowners, A Man for all Seasons, Julia. Spencer Tracy is the hero and gives quiet strength to his role, even though his actions are frequently being described rather than dramatised. In support are Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, the distinguished acting husband and wife team of the American stage. The film is dated, seems very strongly anti-German. but reflects the feeling of the mid-forties.
1. The quality of the film as an adventure story, as anti-German war propaganda, its impact in the forties, now?
2. The quality of forties film-making: black and white photography, light and shadow, studios and special effects for European settings? Musical score? Spencer Tracy as a star of the time? His contribution to the propaganda and war effort?
3. The themes were those of the thirties and forties, totalitarianism, hysteria and cruelty and fanaticism. The universality of these themes? Their relevance in later decades? Later decades remembering these realities? The universal treatment of these themes? The particular propaganda against the Germans, hysteria and cruelty? The effect on American audiences of this kind of film in its time?
4. The quality of the film as a chase story: the building up of suspense from the concentration camp, the capture of the escapees, the constant present of detection, weariness and using one's wits, the hostility of the populace, the unreliability of friends, the support of friends?
5. How clear were the German issues, the imprisonment issues? The reasons for the initial escaping group being in the concentration camp - as they were explained? Hitler and his presence, the Jews and their extermination to come, the crowds caught up in the atmosphere, the ordinary citizens ignorant and going about their ordinary work, focusing on money and prosperity? The background to World War II?
6. What was the effect of the narrative structure, the commentaries, so much of the action described and illustrated rather than dramatised? The moral tone given by such descriptive narrative? The emotional impact, the effect for audience response to the themes?
7. The opening escape - the explanation of those escaping and their backgrounds, the various ways in which they were caught, tortured and killed? The seven crosses? The presentation of the Germans - how fairly? Their vindictiveness, the torture?
8. The narrowing to George as hero? As described when we first see him, his background and people's admiration for him, his hiding and the build-up of fear, hunger, the encounter with the little girl and the plane, jumping the fence and hurting his hand, the stealing of the coat and the reaction of the boys and the police and the possibility of death? Focusing on issues of life and death by connecting them with children? The hitch-hiking and the truck driver, his photo in the papers, travelling on trains, the landlady and her reporting him? The reality of ever present danger?
9. The German attempts to catch him? How well were these illustrated and giving a sense of the danger to George?
10. The delineation of Franc and the others who were wanting to help him, preparation of documents, secret meetings, covers? Contacts and the way of getting in touch with people? The over present Gestapo? The interlude with Sauer and the bond with George, his putting Paul off, his wife's rebuke and his further action?
11. Audience identification with Paul and his wife? Family, ignorant of the politics of the time, seeking prosperity? Caught up with their ordinary small world? Their decision to help? Paul's rising to the occasion, getting help from Fiedler? arranging for the room for George? The importance of his visit to Sauer, his arrest and interrogation and his reporting of this? The literally small man rising to a heroic response? The nature of true friendship? Paul's wife and her friendship, the suffering at his being taken by the Gestapo? The morale boosting by presenting these ordinary citizens responding to crisis?
12. Toni as attractive heroine, suspicions by the audience, perhaps the temptation to get the money, George's treatment of her, the making of the bed, his courtesy, their falling love and the backing and support that this gave to George?
13. The portrait gallery of the supporting characters and their contribution for example the sewing lady and her giving of the suit with the money, the old man bringing the sandwich and his parable of the ants?
14. The build-up to the final escape and success? The 7th cross, without its victim? How much humanity was there in the film, the constant sections about hope in humanity? Film as a good way of communicating propaganda?
