Figure 1.-- In this classroom scene, the children and teacher are tearing out pages from their history books. The Principal was clever here. His instructions on what to rip out complied with German requirements, but still left a patriotic message. Of course in te East, teachers were targetted by NAZI authoirities and schools closed. Most of Hollywood's depictionwere of Western Europe.

This is one of several World War II propganda films made by Hollywood during the War. Timid even cowardly schoolmaster, Albert Lory, becomes a hero after the NAZIs invade. It is sent in a European country. The film only says somewhere in Europe. Jean Renoir directed the film. Renoir and Laughton discussed the script in some detail. One of the topics they discussed was Alphonse Daudet's story "The Last Lesson", from which Renoir borrowed an important scene. He is arrested by the NAZIs. He conducts his own defence. Charles laughton at the trial said: " Truth can't be allowed to live under the occupation. It is too dangerous. The occupation lives upon lies, as the whole world, they call the new order does." He reads the Bill of rights at the end and the Nazi solders come to take him away. The female lead completes reading the bill of rights. It is a very emmotional ending. Before that he goes to each of his students and explains about being brave and the different forms this takes. Although designed to show how evil the NAZIs were, in fact it shows how naive we were at the time. The NAZis did not conduct show trials in occupied countries. After interogation, the NAZIs either shot the suspects/hostages or sent them to the cocentration campd for a slower death. A film set around a school would seem to have lots of boys to show contemprarry clothing styles. It was in fact rather disappointing. There is a Jewish boy and wears a knicker suit with a British schoolboy cap. Another boy in class inexplicably wears rather short shorts with above the knees black stockings. Almost all of the other boys wear longs. his wold hsve been very rare in a European school. It was amazing to me to see how a movie about a school masters heroism could have so few scenes in the school.

Created: 7:15 AM 12/31/2009
Last updated: 8:30 AM 12/31/2009