Io e il colonnello

Even though the title sounds cute, Me and the Colonel is a drama. So, before you think you're going to get another "jester" or "Walter Mitty", Danny Kaye is different in this one. He dons a mustache, gray hair, and puts in a solid effort at a European accent. He plays a Jewish refugee trying to leave Paris before the Nazis come to officially occupy it. He's missed all the regular avenues out of town, so he has to hitch a ride with Curd Jurgens, an anti-Semitic Polish officer. Curd can't stand the situation, and Danny has to beg, borrow, and bribe his way into the backseat of the car (which he ends up purchasing so that Curd literally has no choice).

Danny Kaye was universally hailed for his dramatic performance, but probably only because of the shocking contrast to his usual fare. I don't mean to insult him, but if he was normally a dramatic actor, I'm sure Curd Jurgens would have been praised instead. Curd has a couple of really excellent, moving scenes; I'm glad American audiences got to see some of his talent, since he usually acted in German and French dramas.

Surprisingly, there's a love triangle in this movie. Curd's girlfriend Nicole Maurey comes along with them to sneak out of the country, and she's impressed by Danny's resourcefulness and generosity. In contrast to Curd's boldness and intensity, Danny is meek and forward-thinking. But, really, ladies; is there any contest? On your right, you have strength, masculinity, magnetism, class, distinction, and protection. On your left. . . Pick Mr. Right, Nicole! You'll have to watch this movie to find out if she has any sense. It is an enjoyable drama with snappy and clever dialogue, engrossing plot twists, and the rare feeling of "we don't know who's going to win the war" that movies in the 1950s failed to capture.