The Cross of Lorraine

1943
Approved
1h 30m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

970

YOUR RATING

Jean-Pierre Aumont in The Cross of Lorraine (1943)

A group of French soldiers during WWII are captured by Nazis troops and sent to a military prison. There they will have to make use of his best resources to keep alive... and sane, while at the same time scheming a way out.

Play trailer1:40

1 Video

14 Photos

Political Drama Drama War

A group of French soldiers during WWII are captured by German troops and sent to a POW camp. There they have to make use of his best resources to stay alive - and sane, while at the same tim... Read allA group of French soldiers during WWII are captured by German troops and sent to a POW camp. There they have to make use of his best resources to stay alive - and sane, while at the same time scheming a way out.A group of French soldiers during WWII are captured by German troops and sent to a POW camp. There they have to make use of his best resources to stay alive - and sane, while at the same time scheming a way out.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

970

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins

Videos1

Trailer 1:40

Trailer

Photos14

Top cast99

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Jean-Pierre Aumont

Paul Duprez
(as Jean Pierre Aumont)

Gene Kelly

Victor

Cedric Hardwicke

Father Sebastian
(as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)

Richard Whorf

François

Joseph Calleia

Rodriguez

Peter Lorre

Sergeant Berger

Hume Cronyn

Duval

William Roy

Louis
(as Billy Roy)

Tonio Selwart

Major Bruhl

Jack Lambert

Jacques

Wallace Ford

Pierre

Donald Curtis

Marcel

Jack Edwards

René
(as Jack Edwards Jr.)

Richard Ryen

Lieutenant Schmidt

Frederick Giermann

Corporal Daxer

John Abbott

Baker
(uncredited)

Harry Allen

French Soldier
(uncredited)

Morris Ankrum

Col. Demas
(uncredited)

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Then the young Resistance fighter tells the escaped POWs that the Americans had landed in North Africa a few days previously, that date would be 8 November 1942. France surrendered to the Germans on 22 June 1940. So, Paul and Victor had spent about two years and four-and-one-half months as POWs.

Goofs
Paul flees with Victor in the ambulance, from the SS in their motorcycle/side car. The SS use a machine gun in an attempt to stop Paul. But the machine gun the Germans are using is a M1917 Browning water cooled machine gun, which is American, NOT German.

Quotes
Victor: [looks at cigarette he had taken out, referring to the Nazi captors] Ohh... let you keep your cigarettes and take away your matches.
[to Paul]
Victor: Maybe you can figure out a way to get me a light.
Father Sebastian: You might use the heat of your... indignation.

Connections
Featured in Stalag 17 (1953)

User reviews24

Review

Featured review

9/10

The Cross of Lorraine is A Cross to Reveal ***1/2

A story of courage and defiance of the French people following their surrender to the Germans in 1940.

French soldiers who surrendered are duped by the Germans and are instead taken to a prison of war camp where they are subjected to the most terrible conditions.

Gene Kelly, in a non-singing role, is one such soldier. Punished for hitting German soldiers he is locked in solitary confinement.

In his brief appearance as a priest, Cedric Hardwicke shines as a brave, defiant messenger of the Lord. He pays the ultimate price for attempting to conduct a religious service for someone shot trying to escape.

There is also treachery and collaboration on the part of Hume Cronyn, a prisoner who because he could speak German was made an interpreter by the latter and apparently this went to his head. He also pays the ultimate price as in the ironic case of Peter Lorre, a German soldier caught up in an escape attempt and mistakenly killed by his fellow Nazis.

The ending shows the determination and courage of a local village. This film is a tribute to such people.