Some of my favorite films to have on in the studio are those that have something to do with World War II. Not necessarily combat films, although there are a number of those that I find really engrossing, but rather films that have to do with the periphery of the war and how the world coped with a raging war or its aftermath.
Of course, many will immediately think of films like Casablanca and I can’t deny that it is one of my favorites as well. It’s just a treasure trove of great dialogue and powerful moments ( the dueling anthem scene with Nazis being drowned out by the patrons exuberant and emotional La Marseillaise is a classic) and remains as powerful a story today as ever.
I think I am most taken by the film that deal with the ideology of the times. For example, Idiot’s Delight, starring Clark Gable, was made before our entry into WW II and was an appeal to the nation to rise up against the Nazi tide that was sweeping through Europe.
It’s filled with great ideological dialogue, words that really do more than just propel the story forward. They’re meant to stir and anger, to drive people to action.
Another along the same lines is Lillian Hellman‘s Watch on the Rhine with Bette Davis and an incredible performance from Paul Lukas as the simply worded Resistance fighter. Again, it takes place before our entry into the war and portrays us as innocent and naive but as the events of the film take place we, as represented by the characters, begin to understand and show our resolve to fight for freedom.
There are so many powerful films from this time that it would be impossible to list them all in a simple blog. The Best Years of Our Lives, Mrs. Miniver, 49th Parallel, Hangmen Also Die! and on and on. They were meaningful films in a trying time and I think the overriding emotion of them still shines through. I recommend that anyone with a feeling for the drama of history take a look…
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