Paris Calling ** (1941, Elisabeth Bergner, Randolph Scott, Basil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard, Eduardo Ciannelli) – Classic Movie Review 11,966

Basil Rathbone.

Director Edwin L Marin’s 1941 Universal Pictures black and white war film noir drama Paris Calling is written by Benjamin Glazer and Charles S Kaufman, based on a story by Hans Székely [John S Toddy], and stars Elisabeth Bergner, Randolph Scott, Basil Rathbone, Gale Sondergaard, and Eduardo Ciannelli.

When the evil Nazis occupy the French capital Paris, wealthy wife Marianne Jannetier (Bergner) becomes a French undercover resistance agent, uncovers a traitorous side to her lover André Benoit (Rathbone) and then finds true love in the arms of an American airman, Lt. Nick Jordan (Scott).

A fine cast play this solid, if rather stately paced propaganda vehicle, with an obvious allegory in the story, for all it is worth. Rathbone in particular is excellent.

Also in the cast are Lee J Cobb, Charles Arnt, Elisabeth Risdon, Georges Renavent, William Edmunds, and Paul Leyssac.

Paris Calling was shot from 22 July 1941 to mid-September 1941.

This is the first film made in America by noted Austrian-British stage and screen actress Elisabeth Bergner (22 August 1897 – 12 May 1986).

Randolph Scott.

The cast are Elisabeth Bergner as Marianne Jannetier, Randolph Scott as Lt. Nick Jordan, Basil Rathbone as André Benoit, Gale Sondergaard as Colette, Lee J Cobb as Captain Schwabe, Charles Arnt as Lt. Lantz, Eduardo Ciannelli [Edward Ciannelli] as Mouche, Elisabeth Risdon as Madame Jannetier, Georges Renavent as Butler, William Edmunds as Prof. Marceau, J Pat O’Malley as Sgt. Bruce McAvoy, George Metaxa as Waiter, Paul Leyssac as Chief of underground, Gene Garrick as Wolfgang Schmitt, Paul Bryar as Paul, Otto Reichow as Gruber, Adolph Milar as Gestapo agent, Marion Murray as Cherie, Grace Lenard as Marie, Marcia Ralston as Renée, and Yvette Bentley as Simone.

Marin went on to make a series of Westerns with Scott, directing him in nine films, including his last film, Fort Worth (1951). Marin was married to actress Ann Morriss and died in Los Angeles in 1951, at 52. He is also remembered for MGM’s A Christmas Carol (1938) with Reginald Owen.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 11,966

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