THIS LAND IS MINE

US, 1943, 103 minutes, Black and white.
Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara, George Sanders, Walter Slezak, Una O'Connor, Kent Smith, Philip Merivale, Thurston Hall, George Coulouris.
Directed by Jean Renoir.

This Land Is Mine is quite an effective piece of wartime propaganda, although very dated now, especially in its rhetoric. It is the work of scenarist Dudley Nichols, writer of many films for John Ford and author and director of Sister Kenny and Mourning Becomes Electra. The film was directed by celebrated French director/artist Jean Renoir, director of many famous films of the '30s: The Rules of the Game, The Great Illusion, The Human Beast. Renoir spent some years in America during the war, making such films as Swamp Water, The Woman on the Beach, The Diary of a Chambermaid.

Renoir obviously feels about his topic in this film: The film is set `somewhere in Europe'. It resembles, of course, occupied France. Nazi occupation of an unnamed European country and the challenge to resistance for ordinary inhabitants of a country town and the dangers of collaboration and support of the Nazi regime. The film has an excellent cast and Charles Laughton is quite restrained as the central cowardly schoolteacher. He receives attractive support from Maureen O’ Hara, who had appeared with him in Hitchcock's Jamaica Run and as Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. George Sanders, Una O'Connor and Kent Smith have quite effective roles although at times the patriotism makes them rather strident and over-forceful. The story is basic and retains the interest, there are many speeches which highlight the attitudes of resistance in World War Two as well as the exaltation to Americans to oppose the Nazis. There is a great optimism for a brave and better world after the war.

Not one of Renoir's great films - but an interesting insight into the war propaganda film-making of Hollywood in the '40s.

1. The value of this film as entertainment, as World War Two propaganda, as dramatising the attitudes of Americans and Europeans in the early '40s?

2. The production values? The work of Jean Renoir and his bringing his French style to America? The writing of Dudley Nichol - especially the rhetoric for propaganda? Black and white photography? Sets and the re-creation of Europe? Musical score?

3. The title and the focus on liberty? The occupying of European countries by the Nazis? The stances taken by the Resistance and saboteurs? The basic interest in the plot? The strength of the character-drawing? Sufficient basis for propaganda and rhetoric? The impact of this film before the end of World War Two? Its contribution to the American effort?

4. The presentation of the Nazi occupation? The opening of the film? Walter Slezak as embodying the occupying Nazi oppression, cruelty, smooth talk, seeming plausibility, the rhetoric of the Reich and the New World? The German soldiers and the resistance? Sabotage? The Commander's attitude towards George Lambert and his collaboration, towards the Mayor and his support? The hostility towards Paul and his pursuing and killing him? The taking of hostages? The professor and the other people of the town executed? The attitude towards Albert and the attempt to do a deal with him in the prison? The Commander as sufficiently plausible for the audience's detestation of Nazism?

5. The life of the town? Wartime conditions? Lack of food and black market dealing? The censoring of books for use in school? The sending of vegetables to the war front etc.? The reality of collaboration? The reality of resistance? The freedom leaflet put under people's doors and the arrest of the printers? The influence of the teachers on the children? Paul and his seeming friendship with the Germans yet his sabotage? The ordinary people of the town caught in the occupation situation, hoping for freedom?

6. Charles Laughton's style as Albert Laurie? A mother's son and his being pampered by her? the domination of his mother, the breakfast, the cat, her mollycoddling him? His manner in the classroom and the children sneering at him? His teaching, friendship with the professor, with the little boy? The schoolboys mocking him? The orders to tear pages out of the books? His hurrying home, not going out? The friendship with Louise? Paul? George Lambert? His shock with the arrest of the professor? His being terrified during the bombardment and the children ridiculing him? His confessing his weakness and cowardice to the headmaster? His becoming involved with the Resistance? His invitation to Louise's for the meal and his having to cover for Paul? and the smoking sequence? His being arrested and imprisoned as a hostage? His seeing the professor and others executed? Louise's spurning of him, thinking he was responsible for Paul's death? His confrontation with George Lambert but being accused of murder? His reticence in the court scene? His speech - as the occasion to voice the attitudes of the ordinary man in the face of the Nazi occupation? The night in jail and von Keller talking with him, trying to persuade him to collaborate? The false letter? His theme of interior courage and exterior cowardice and the reverse? The contrast of his own attitudes with those of George Lambert? The German Commander trying to deal with him in the prison and forge Lambert's suicide note? The confrontation with the prosecutor? The judge allowing him to speak? His declaration for freedom - with the urging to the Americans to resist Nazism? His final speech in the court, his talk about his mother and her guilt, the middle class and their being comfortable, collaborating with the Germans? His love for Louise? His political stance, his statements about freedom, his support of the Resistance?The wartime hero and the acclaim? His speech to the children in the classroom and his arrest? Louise's support, his reading the American Constitution with its rights, being taken to execution? A persuasive picture of a hero for the war?

7. Louise as heroine? Maureen O'Hara's presence and style? Work in the school, her tearing out the pages proscribed but keeping them? dismay with Paul, love for George? Her reaction to Paul's being a saboteur and supporting him? Her courtesy towards Albert and her criticisms of his mother? Her relationship with George, the engagement, going to get his support? Breaking the engagement? Thinking that Paul was a collaborator, discovering the truth, her support, the meal with Albert? Covering? Her breaking with George Lambert? Her accusations against Albert? The discovery of the truth and her response to Albert's declaration of love for her in court? Her presence in the classroom during his talk to the children? The final statements from the American Constitution and democratic freedoms? The film ending with her reciting them?

8. Paul as ordinary worker in the town, fraternising with the Germans, his girlfriend and her disgust - and her grief at his death? The sabotage and his escape over the rooves? His covering at the meal with Albert and the cigarettes? His escape? The confrontation with George Lambert?

9. Albert and his role at the railway yards? Friendliness with the Germans? His declaration of belief in their principles? Friendliness with the Commander? Love for Louise? His trying to persuade her as regards the taking of hostages and executions? Blame for saboteurs? The information given him by Mrs. Laurie? His acting on it? His trying to warn Paul? Conscience problems and his suicide? A stereotyped symbol of collaboration?

10. Von Keller, the German occupation, the Nazis, the philosophy? Von Keller and his genial manner, yet the taking of hostages, control of the mayor? With Paul, with George? Trying to get Albert on side? The response of the audience to the Nazi occupation?

11. George, merchant, collaborating, conscience? Love for Louise, friendship with Paul? Albert's mother telling him the truth, his telling von Keller? His change of heart, warning Paul? Von Keller talking about collaboration? Killing himself?

12. Mrs. Laurie as the doting mother? Her fussing over her son, her tantrum? Her trying to protect him against arrest, her collapse, her appeal to the authorities? Her knowing Paul was guilty and her telling George Lambert? Her being responsible for Paul's death? Albert's repudiation of her and her betrayal? hypochondriac, dominating, pleading her own ills, wanting him home? Her stifling his growth, alleging ill health? His criticisms of her during the trial? How persuasive a portrait of a possessive mother? The points being made about the war?

13. The stereotyped picture of the prosecutor? His aggressiveness? His mouthing platitudes? The fabrication of Lambert's suicide note? The reaction of the jury - even though they were condemned by Albert's speech? The reaction of the judge?

14.The mayor, his background, collaboration?

15.The hostages, the professor, the arrest of the printers, the professor and his writing the paper - with the Latin quotes? Going courageously to his death?

16. The portrayal of ordinary people trying to go about their way of life under occupation? Resistance and sabotage - and the justification of sabotage? The experience of privation and bombardment? The presentation of war in the uncertainties of 1942-43?

17.A French director in Hollywood, away from the war, contributing to the war effort by this propaganda melodrama?