Jean-Pierre Aumont, Gene Kelly, Peter Lorre, Hume Cronyn, and Cedric Hardwicke star in "The Cross of Lorraine," a 1943 propaganda film.I mean a propaganda film in the best way. Propaganda films made by the U.S. during World War II were often intended to inspire and show the people back home that their sacrifices meant something.The Cross of Lorraine, referencing Joan of Arc's standard, adopted by Charles de Gaulle during World War II to mean the Free France, tells the story of French soldiers who surrender to Nazis and are lied to, and taken to a prisoner of war camp. There they endure terrible conditions and for some, death.Hume Cronyn portrays a sniveling collaborator whom the Germans use as an interpreter. Cedric Hardwicke is a priest, whom he portrays with great dignity and quiet courage. Gene Kelly plays a defiant soldier put into solitary confinement. Jean-Pierre Aumont decides to cooperate with the Nazis on the surface only; he has another agenda. Aumont was older than God when he was still working in the '90s, and to see him as a young, gorgeous man, robust with incredible hair, is really something! The bravery of the French people is exhibited at the end of the film, when they make a decision to take action before the Nazis arrive at their town.A really stirring film.

You hear "la Marseillaise " during the cast and credits ;you hear "La Marseillaise" during the whole movie;then again as the finale;Rouget De Lisle should thus be credited for the soundtrack but as he wrote it in 1792,he will not get any royalties."The Cross of Lorraine" suffers from a very low budget (the "village" where the French rebel) and a rather weak screenplay.One of these countless propaganda movies,it features French romantic young lead Jean -Pierre Aumont who really joined the "Forces Françaises Libres" .Other luminaries include the always reliable Hume Cronyn as the fellow-who-betrays-his-pals (compare with Sefton in Billy Wilder's "stalag 17");Peter Lorre ideally cast as the sadistic but dumb warden;sir Cedric Hardwicke as the noble priest who comfort his hungry brothers;Gene Kelly a soldier who has feelings of self-doubt.This first-class cast partly saves the movie .But there are colossal mistakes: all the prisoners are supposed to be French and they never speak a word in their first language (at least Aumont -obvious- and Hardwicke were fluent in French).Besides,the Germans often speak English between them ,so why an interpret?and the young resistant fighter they meet as soon as they are out of the camp? In spite of the excellent cast ,all sounds bad.

This movie is an oracle of french Independence before it one year by the symbol of liberty (Charles Degaulle) in 1944 with American aim in the beginning of (Normandy operation) but he decided to make the liberty of Paris by french resistance without any aim from foreign countries to put the french trademark in the eternal pages of history by his speeches that he announced his invitation for french people (men , women , students) to take their arms for liberty and free France under his administration of pending government of (Free France) and the symbol of (Cross Lorraine) the saint cross of (Joan of Arc) the holy spirit of victory in 15th century against English occupation at France but he quoted this symbol by the spirit of 20th century and he did it for France and his famous shout after victory and during the vectorial ceremony (Vive La France).

Directed by Tay Garnett, who was a Naval pilot in WWI, this war drama has substance. French soldiers, believing that WWII is over, unwittingly surrender to German forces and are placed in a POW camp. A terrific and realistic look at being held prisoner under the thumb of the Nazis. A very good collection of talent featuring: Jean-Pierre Aumont, Gene Kelly, Hume Cronyn, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Peter Lorre, Wallace Ford and Richard Whorf.