THE MASTER RACE
US, 1944, 98 minutes, Black and white.
George Colouris, Osa Mussen, Stanley Ridges, Carl Esmond, Lloyd Bridges, Nancy Gates,
Directed by Herbert Biberman.
Watching The Master Race without knowing the year in which it was made and released, an audience would think that it is a retrospect on World War II. But this is not the case. Production on the film began several days after the D- Day invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. The film was released in September, three months later. It was the first film to incorporate into its narrative, action on the Normandy coast, the invasion, the battle, the German prisoners (so well-known Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan).
This means that the screenplay is a speculation on what happens at the end of the war, which the release of the film anticipated by eight months. In this way it is similar to the 1944 film by Andre de Toth, None Shall Escape, a story about a war crimes tribunal after the war.
The focus on this film in this film is the German commander played by George Colouris. He sees the collapse of the third Reich, gathers together some followers and urges them to infiltrate and create heat and dissension so that the master race will be able to continue after Hitler’s downfall. He himself hides in a Belgian town, pretending to be the brother of the businessmen who collaborated with the Nazis.
As with many of the war films, and the propaganda films, showing Europe, this is set in a small town in Belgium, the ruins of the aftermath of the German invasion, people returning to the town and trying to rebuild. The Americans are also in the town trying to create order and progress. The American major is played by Stanley Ridges.
Osa Mussan plays a woman who now has a child from a German soldier, trying to keep out of the public eye, finding it difficult to let her family know what has happened. Lloyd Bridges is her young brother, returning from the war, injured, looking forward to seeing his fiancee, who is the daughter of the collaborator but now restricted in her activities by the German officer occupying her home.
There are many of the expected tensions, especially the freedom of prisoners and their being replaced by German soldiers in prison. One of the released is a Russian, played by Carl Esmond, a doctor who contributes to the betterment of the town.
With the German, there are tensions, especially with the manager of the mill who believes the German and is bent on revenge, even to the blowing up of the prison at the behest of the German.
The town is particularly Catholic, wanting a priest, a temporary chaplain arrives and builds up the spiritual feelings, especially at Christmas.
The film was made by RKO on a small-budget, very much studio-bound, not an A-production. However, in retrospect it is quite interesting in itself, as well as to see how film-makers at the time imagined the aftermath of the war.
The film was directed by Herbert Biberman, who became one of the Hollywood 8 and imprisoned for his defiance of the house House un-American hearings. He was blacklisted. His principal film, about working conditions, was Salt of the Earth in 1954.
1. A film of 1940? Its impact? Made during the war? anticipating post-war Europe? Seen in retrospect?
2. The director, his career, his ideas, blacklisted?
3. RKO, small-budget film, the cast, the sets, studio-bound, black and white photography, the musical score?
4. The title, as understood in 1944, audience knowledge of the Nazis at the time, the Third Reich, Hitler, expectations? The involvement of the United States in World War II? Europe?
5. The film in production soon after the Normandy invasion, the footage, recreation of the landing, the fight, the German prisoners of war? The impact so soon after the events?
6. Von Beck, the imminent defeat of the Nazis, his speech to his followers, an alternate Master Race, an alternate Reich, rousing people, the group listening, his advocating hate and dissension, dispersing them? His assistant? Arranging papers for his own disappearance?
7. The village, Belgium, the Belgian experience will, liberation? The town in ruins? The mill destroyed? The people returning, the remnant in the town, the resistance, in the army?
8. The arrival of the Americans, the major, the welcome, the town’s people not able to applaud? Setting up in the town hall? The British assistant? The American staff? His speech in the marketplace? Managing? His promising doctor and a priest?
9. The Russian, background in prison, freed, his being a doctor, offering to help, his hopes to return to Russia, his helpings the Bartoc family, examining Von Beck’s leg noting that it was a recent injury? His leadership? His return at the end? The Soviet Union as an ally at this time?
10. Von Beck, his arrival, the disguise, pretending to be the brother of the owner of the mill, his Nazi collaboration and death, his wife and daughter? Shooting himself? Pretending to be ill?
11. His policy of sowing dissension, hate? The mill worker, fostering his resentment, taking over the mill, his taking the horse from the citizens out in the fields? Defying the American presence? Reactions? His hope of the future? The blowing up of the prison, getting the explosives? His executing the plan?
12. The Bartoc’s, the father and his return from the war? Helena, at home, grim, the revelation that she had a daughter, the German father? Her shame, people in the town? Frank and his discovery, accepting the reality? John coming late, the discovery of the child, his reactions, harshness and talk about death, his apology, accepting the reality? The effect on Helena? The family group at the end?
13. Nina, the shame of her father and his collaboration? Her mother? Von Beck in the house controlling her? going out? Her being condemned? Meeting Frank, his turning against her? yet his love? Her mother and her fear, the donation to the church, the confrontation with Von Beck, his killing her?
14. The German the prisoners, their being freed? The German soldiers, in prison? The Ukrainian, his carving the cross, his story to the major, his participation in atrocities, coming to his senses, the need for repentance and atonement? The other soldiers attacking him? The explosion, his injuries, his being rescued? Hearing Von Beck’s voice? The soldier killing him?
15. The priest, coming to the town, the encouragement, helping with the church, Christmas, the donkey, the little girl giving the doll? His exhortation about loving one another as Jesus loved us? The devout people? Catholicism? Coming to the church?
16. The family at home, the little girl, her wandering, finding the church, giving the doll? Leaner and her concern?
17. The ending of the war – and RKO filming this eight months or more before the reality?
18. The meeting in the town, the mill manager and his shock, manipulated by Von Beck? Von Beck and his trying to escape from the accusations? Of the murder, of his identity? His defiance? Executed by the firing squad?
19. The meeting in the town, the resolve to build, the major and his being transferred to Germany to deal with the prisoners and rebuilding? The applause for his speech? the village and hope?
