Reunion in France (DVD)

Those nasty Nazis will never triumph because they have no fashion sense, no sense of humour and are utterly mystified by the workings of the female mind. Oh, I love this film and so does everyone to whom I've lent it.Joan Crawford represents the spoiled darling that was France, now ready to join the Resistance and fight for freedom. (Don't worry, those oblivious Nazis actually FETCH HER ENTIRE COUTURE WARDROBE to the modest digs she occupies when they have taken over the lion's share of her house.)The two who take away the film, though, are Henry Daniell and John Carradine, both playing Nazi officers. The former, who has been wounded by the bite of an enemy dog, is in charge of Joan's house when it is commandeered. He is captivated by Joan, who lets him back her up against the wall and KISS HER ON THE LIPS so that John Wayne can make his getaway. John Carradine is the head of the Gestapo in Paris, and he is so sinister, sombre and sexless that you may find yourself fretting that Joan might have a little trouble with him. Don't. She will triumph at the end.My favourite scene is in a nightclub. There is an African-American jazz band playing and the singer is belting out "I'll be glad when you're dead, you rascals, you! I'll be glad when you're dead, and Adolf, too!" The smiling, finger-tapping Nazi couples just lap it up. They don't know English, I suppose. (What makes this even weirder is that the whole movie is in nothing BUT English. But don't worry about it.)A joy from start to finish. Please watch and enjoy. This is right up there with _Adventures of Tartu_ with Robert Donat!

By 1942, Europe was firmly under the heavy foot of Adolph Hitler. This remarkable movie, situated in Paris, France, captures the mood both before and after the inevitable Nazi occupation. Joan Crawford, an extremely talented actress to say the least, made two movies that year dealing with this ongoing tragedy. In Reunion, she finds herself at odds with a husband who, from all appearances, is collaborating with the Nazi's. He cannot reveal, to her or anyone else what is really going on behind the scenes. It's a drama founded on those brave people willing to defy the Hitler war machine at the risk of their own lives. John Wayne delivers a fine performance in what is one of his first movies away from his then growing image as a cowboy. This DVD belongs in any collection. You'll be glad you own it. I sure am!

his is obviously a WW II propaganda film, but it has outstanding production values, thanks to Henry Mankiewicz; excellent work behind the camera by Jules Dassin, some fine acting by some of the best box office draws of the time; and a pretty good story. Joan Crawford, at her most beautiful, is the obvious star and the Dutch actor, Phillip Dorn, the male lead. John Wayne has a featured support role as an American, flying for the British, who's been shot down over France and has escaped from a POW camp. The Duke makes the most of his screen time though and even gets in a few romantic chops w/Crawford. Also look for John Carradine as the head of the Paris Gestapo and Ava Gardner in an uncredited role as one of the shopgirls. Crawford and Dorn play Paris lovers who are engaged to be married, but after Germany defeats France, Dorn appears to have turned traitor. Lot's of twists and turns in this story to keep you interested and the climax will likely surprise you. Propaganda; but not the heavy-handed variety, this is also excellent cinema. Highly recommended.

Not a bad movie, John Wayne is not in it very long, but 1 for the collection! Glad I bought it!

It is May 9, 1940, and we first meet Michele de la Becque (Joan Crawford) at a banquet to celebrate the war efforts of French industrialists. Her boyfriend, Robert Cordot (Philip Dorn), is one of the men being honored at the event ... but Michele is bored.We learn that she is a wealthy and spoiled Frenchwoman who has no interest in current events like that oh-so-inconvenient war raging in Europe; so she flits off to the south of France for a break while Robert stays behind to do whatever it is he does.And that's when the "stuff" hits the fan and France is invaded. We are treated to a montage of newspaper headlines, archival footage of various battles, and shots of Michele experiencing the inconveniences of war! Poor Michele!When she finally returns to Paris it is an occupied city, and her humble mansion has been commandeered by the Nazis as an office of some sort. When she is finally reunited with Robert it is at another banquet. This time it is filled with Nazis! It appears that Robert is a collaborator! And Michele is having none of this or him!Well, a girl's gotta eat, so she hoofs it to Montanot, the (once-exclusive) Parisian boutique where she used to get her gorgeous gowns. Only this time she's looking for a job. Her attitude towards the staff has changed dramatically by this time. She is humbled.It's on the way home from work one evening that she encounters RAF pilot Pat Talbot (John Wayne) lurking in the shadows, trying to outrun the Nazis chasing him. Michele gives him a hiding place, then the rest of the story is all about trying to get Pat out of Nazi occupied France.Random Notes:Joan doesn't even attempt a French accent.There must have been a sub-plot cut out of the film involving the gas mask cannister that Michele carries then leaves behind with Robert. It's never explained why there was a small box in the canister instead of a mask.The filmmakers take quite a few amusing jabs at the weight and lack of sophistication of the occupying Nazi women. There's a scene at Montenot where the women are fighting over clothes on a table like pigs at a trough. And one of the former models at the shop explains that she no longer models clothes there because "... mannequins are running to larger sizes now!"Natalie Schafer (Mrs. Thurston Howell, AKA "Lovey" from Gilligan's Island) makes an appearance as a spoiled rich Nazi woman.Although I really do not care for John Wayne, I've got to admit that he was tolerable here.The very last scene is kind of cheesy but understandable for the time period.Overall, it's a fairly entertaining 100 minutes with a somewhat convoluted plot. Not a bad way to pass the time.

Great seeing Joan Crawford in a film with John Wayne in WWII Europe. Great cast too. Philip Dorn, Reginald Owen, John Carradine, Moroni Olsen, Henry Daniell, and even Peter Whitney too.

do i need to say anything else