WWII Propaganda and "The Seventh Cross (1944)

The war department went to Hollywood early in WWII for help. They raised war bonds, they raised money and they raised spirits with blatantly propagandist movies. Some of the propaganda, like say Mrs. Miniver, would have been hits anyway and some never should have seen the light of day, but others are in a never land - not really fantastic movies, but worth seeing for what they say about the war, and what we knew about the war AT THAT TIME. This particular film is an excellent example of what can be learned from this genre, both of world history and of cinema history.

Synopsis:

Seven men escape from a concentration camp (hello, reality check number one - but I digress). Seven crosses are constructed to hold their hanging corpses after they are caught. The escaping prisoners are played by basically six unknown actors and Spencer Tracy. Of these, only one, Felix Bressart really "looks jewish" as that would be viewed in 1944 - remember great care was taken not to make World War II about the Jews until we found out what really happened to them. Guess which one narrates the escape and is the last one left alive. If you guessed Spencer Tracy - you pass obvious questions 101. Most of their deaths happen quickly so that the real supporting actors are those who continue to help Spencer Tracy despite the danger. One of the first people to help him is a woman who runs a costume shop, played by Agnes Moorehead. He knows about her because she is friends with one of his fellow escapees - a trapeze artist - who helps him with new clothes. Does she know who he is? It isn't clear, maybe she does but she thinks he's an artist like the other escapee - she is human, and humane so she helps. Soon we meet are Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy - old acquaintances of Tracy who take him in not realizing he is a wanted man. they have heretofore been a-political, but after helping Tracy and being called in by the Gestapo because of it, they see the world differently. Meanwhile Tracy's old anti-Nazi friends are working tirelessly trying to guess where he will go so that they can help him get out of Germany. This group is made up of some well known character actors and as a group they dedicate themselves to finding Tracy and helping him escape Germany. The final angel on Spencer's shoulder is a chambermaid in the hotel where he stays one night. He's moved there so that he will not get Hume Cronyn in trouble. Because he is friendly and kind to her early in the day when she comes to change the sheets, she warns him when there are Nazi's in the hotel and helps him evade them as he makes his escape.

As you can see the "message" of this movie is hardly subtle and it clearly is designed to put a happy face on the war in 1944 when it was released. This movie says - don't worry, all humanity is not dead in Germany - look they are helping Spencer Tracy aren't they. The moral is even put into words for those who prefer the direct route. Tracy explains to the chambermaid that he will be in Holland or somewhere "paying back" everyone who helped him get there because thanks to those kind people, "I know that no matter how cruelly the world strikes at the souls of men there is a God given decency that will come out if it is given half a chance. That's the hope for the human race, that's the faith we must cling to, the only thing that will make our lives worth living. In other words, don't worry, when we beat Germany (which we are about to do) we will still find kind people. Of course, this is before the reality of concentration camps was disclosed and knowing that now changes EVERYTHING about this movie and to me that's what makes if so fascinating. That and the fact that it is a brilliantly acted, well directed solid piece of film in addition to all of the extraneous elements.

Director ........................................................Fred Zinnemann

Writers ..........................................................Helen Deutsch
            ..........................................................Anna Seghers

George Heisler ..............................................Spencer Tracy
Toni ...............................................................Signe Hasso
Paul Roeder ...................................................Hume Cronyn
Leisel Roeder .................................................Jessica Tandy
Mme. Marelli .................................................Agnes Moorehead
Franz Marnet .................................................Herbert Rudley
Poldi Schlamm ...............................................Felix Bressart
Wallau ...........................................................Ray Collins
Zillich .............................................................Alexander Granach

To Be or Not To Be (1942)

Ernst Lubitsch was such a unique director that the phrase 'the Lubitsch touch' became a popular way to describe that certain something that he brought to his movies, mostly romantic comedies that gave them a special feel. This is one of his best.

The movie begins in 1939 just as the Germans are taking over Poland.  It's the story of Maria and Joseph Tura, husband and wife actors and heads of a popular Polish theater group. They are played by Carole Lombard and Jack Benny two of the best screen comedians ever. (Sadly it was Lombard's last role, released after she died in a plane crash while on a war bond sales tour.) Change comes immediately to Poland, of course, and the Tura's theater is closed. The closure, though, turns out to be the least of Tura's problems. A polish aviator that Maria was flirting with before he left to join the resistance in London is parachuted back into Poland with an urgent need to find and silence a Nazi spy. As they try to help him, avoid further trouble with the Nazis and sort our their marriage hilarity ensues despite the dire situation. The movie is most definitely a comedy (remember the stars). The Nazi's often seem like a secondary obstacle compared with Joseph's ego, Maria's excessive need for male attention, and the other petty squabbles within the theater company. Still the seriousness of the situation is not completely lost. In on triumphant moment in the movie, the whole theater company and the aviator are saved and able to evade the Nazis because of a ruse involving the recitation by the most obviously Jewish looking actor reciting Shylock's speech from The Merchant of Venice. I point out that the actor is obviously Jewish, because one of the many fascinating things about this movie is that despite dealing quite openly with many Nazi horrors (at least to the extent that they were known by the West in 1942), the words Jew and Jewish are never uttered. Remember that by 1942, most of what Hollywood was producing was designed to help the war effort - meaning there had to be a little propaganda in every film. Nonetheless, Hollywood studios, which were then mostly run by Jews, didn't want to go there. So Lubitch, makes it about the Jewish guy without ever saying he's Jewish.

Even now it's considered pretty dicey to make a comedy about Nazi's, and yet this comedy manages to evoke laughter and not cringes 72 years later.  This movie was remade by Mel Brooks - one of the only other people brave enough to mock the Nazis then or now -- and it was good, but this is better. Carole Lombard (Mrs. Clark Gable at the time) was beautiful and funny, VERY funny. Jack Benny has never been better and the supporting cast is excellent. An added bonus for those of you who only know Robert Stack from America's Most Wanted you see him here at age 21 or 22 and pretty darn good looking.

The Boys from Brazil (1978)

OK, so the first actor you are likely to recognize as you sit down to watch this movie is Steve Guttenberg! But don't let that throw you. The real stars are none other than Laurence Olivier and Gregory Peck -- doesn't get much better than that. There have been many movies based on the idea of cloning, but as far as I know this was the first, probably the most accurate and the scariest.

Summary:

Guttenberg's character has decided to go Nazi hunting in South America on his own. He happens upon a huge meeting of former Nazi's set up to welcome former Nazi Doctor, Joseph Mengele played by Gregory Peck. Mengele has arrived to oversee the next step in an unspecified plan he's been working on for years. A plan that will require the murder of some 64 men over the next few months. Guttenberg tapes part of this meeting before his bug is discovered. He rushes back to his hotel to contact Nazi- Hunter Laurence Olivier (clearly based on Simon Weisenthal). While he's on the phone with Olivier, Peck and company track him down and kill him. Having heard this murder over the phone, Olivier's character, who had not been taking Guttenberg's claims seriously, decides he needs to investigate. What he discovers is, as I said, the worst possible implication of cloning human beings.

Even if you didn't have the ultimate movie bad guys (Nazi's) and a subject matter that only becomes more relevant with each scientific advancement, the mere presence of Olivier and Peck in one movie would make this worth seeing. The combination of all of these factors means it belongs on my must see list. The movie is chilling without being either bloody or overly suspenseful. The script is taut and the direction is fine, though nothing to write home about. It's mainly the script and the concept that drive the movie, and the acting, which cannot be beaten. Olivier and Peck only have one scene together, but seeing them play opposite each other is wonderful. In lesser roles there are such great actors as James Mason, Rosemary Harris and the great teacher Uta Hagen. It is a must see both as a film and as a cultural icon.