This Was Paris

This film is essentially about the Fifth Column.This is a term that originated out of the Spanish War when a Spanish General claimed that he had supporters in Mdarid who were his fifth column.The hint is broadly dropped in the credits as the cartoons under the credits are by the famous wartime artist Fougasse(Kenneth Bird)who immortalized the catchphrase"Careless Talk Costs Lives">Alas nothing so original or funny occurs thereafter in this confused and confusing film.After all Ben Lyon is the nominal co star of this film but disappears for long stretches.Griffiths Jones plays an intelligence officer who goes round telling everyone he is an intelligence officer.Rather an oxymoron in his job title.The film was made at a time when the fifth column scare in the UK was at its height.Even nuns were suspected of being NAzi parachutists.It is true to say that there were numerous Nazi sympathisers in the UK but by and large the security services had the situation under control.This film suggests that the fifth column was responsible for the downfall of France,which is untrue.It also mentions the Maginot Line and the invasion of the Low Countries whilst failing to mention the fact that one of the main causes for the defeat of France was the fact that the French did not fortify the border with Belgium and did not consider it essential to fortify the Ardennes with the result that the Germans were easily able to outflank the Maginot Line.It is likely that the film was driving home the propaganda message that there was a fifth column in Britain and people should be like dad and "Keep Mum".