Assignment in Brittany

Pierre Metard (Jean-Pierre Aumont) is a Captain in the Free French forces. He sneaks behind enemy lines to wreck havoc among the Nazis. He gets loaned out to the British. He takes on the identity of captured suspected Nazi collaborator Bertrand Corlay to find a hidden U-boat base on the French coast.

I don't know this actor other than a few roles which I barely remember. It is interesting to use a Frenchman. He actually fits the role. Some of this is very compelling, but some of it feels unrealistic. The last battle is big and Rambo-esque. There is one thing that really bugs me. When the girl starts singing, there are several cuts to each character turning their heads to camera. These are big dramatic hair-flipping turns that take me right out of the movie. It's one of those sour note moments.

Darryl Hickman is WAY down in the cast list, but he's about the only name i recognize. you'll also know Reginald Owen, the stately old gentleman in SO many huge films... he was never the lead, but an important co-star in so many great productions. check out his roles. In this war-time flicker, a frenchman poses as another office to locate a german submarine base. Jean-Pierre Aumont plays several roles.... to the french, he's a captain in the french army. then he parachutes to where "his" fiancee is, and must find the submarine base. the usual espionage shenanigans. darryl hickman was only 12 at this time, so he's just a boy. Sixteen years later, he'll be Dobie Gillis, in 1959, with his own television series. the war had another two years to go, so we see the rough sacrifices the villagers had to make repeatedly, to thwart the german troops. it's pretty good. some violence, as they gun down the innocent (and some not so innocent) towns-people. Directed by Jack Conway, who had also directed some incredible films.

This picture has the look and feel of a British film of the period, probably because it includes mainly actors who spent WWII in Hollywood under contract to MGM. Jean-Pierre Aumont and his colleagues show their previous training on stage through too large gestures and reactions. Also, the acting often looks as if war were a lot of fun.

Aumont is incredibly handsome but seems wasted in this two-dimensional portrayal of a Free French warrior. The picture no doubt bolstered the spirits of his fans, dramatizing the efforts of the Free French at a crucial time in history. Any authenticity in his character comes from the knowledge that he did indeed serve with the Free French, for which he was later decorated by the French government.

The best acting in the film is by the naturalistic Susan Peters and the classically trained Margaret Wycherly.

Nevertheless, the picture is worth seeing for its place in the history of movie making.

Jean-Pierre Aumont, Susan Peters, Signe Hasso, and Margaret Wycherly star in "Assignment in Brittany," a 1943 film.

The story concerns a young man, Capt. Pierre Matard (Aumont), who is sent to France because he is a lookalike of an injured man, Bertrand Corlay (also Aumont) hospitalized in London. The British need to location of a port in Brittany that has destroyed a lot of British ships. Pierre goes to France and impersonates Corlay.

Matard knows a great many facts about Corlay but nothing of his cold personality and the fact that he has been playing ball with the Nazis. Bertrand's mother catches on fairly quickly; his girlfriend (Susan Peters) is slower on the draw. Corlay also has a mistress (Hasso), which comes as a surprise. He works with the Free French, all the while trying to keep himself and others out of danger.

The last time I saw Jean-Pierre Aumont was in a TV movie called Sins in 1986. He was 75 years old, and I don't think I ever saw him as anything but elderly. Well, boy, what a hunk he was - that beautiful mane of hair, glorious smile, good build - wow.

This is a typical black and white film about the war, showing the courage of the people in the French resistance. Everybody was good, and despite a critique of stage mannerisms on this board, I was frankly unaware of it.

It was nice to see the lovely Susan Peters as the shy but loving girlfriend of Bernard, who actually falls for his impersonator Matard. Only two years later, she would be in a hunting accident and spend the following 7 years in a wheelchair, until her death in 1952 at the age of 31.

Aumont actually fought with the Free French in North Africa. He was widowed in 1951 when his wife, Maria Montez, died of heart failure while sitting in a hot bath. He remarried in 1956, to Marisa Pavan, and stayed married to her until his death 45 years later.

Good movie, good suspense, and a young and vital Aumont.

Solid story, I think well done and paced nicely for modern sensibilities even. Dramatic scenes jump to quite harrowing action without warning, and play out realistically. A relatively simple, high-stakes spy/war plot, clearly resolved. Nice bits of play acting, being discovered, double agents, etc. etc.

Some here complain about the acting, but I thought it all worked great, and the supporting cast really held up their end; even people on screen for two minutes seem real, and to be motivated by actual emotion.

Not a great transfer, and hard to watch but I caught it on TCM. Nicely done sets, and mostly works within the confines of budget by keeping things indoors and at night. The few outdoor scenes (especially those in the day) are a bit lame in the backlot/studio way they were, but that's about the only flaw I can find in it.