The Impostor (1944)

Director:

Julien Duvivier

Writers:

Marc Connelly (additional dialogue)
Julien Duvivier (writer)

Release Date:

10 February 1944 (USA)

Genre:

War | Drama

Tagline:

THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN A WOMAN EVER LOVED! (original print ad - all caps)

Cast

Jean Gabin	...	Clement / Maurice LeFarge
Richard Whorf	...	Lieutenant Varenne
Allyn Joslyn	...	Bouteau
Ellen Drew	...	Yvonne
Peter van Eyck	...	Hafner
Ralph Morgan	...	Colonel DeBoivin
Eddie Quillan	...	Cochery
John Qualen	...	Monge
Dennis Moore	...	Maurice LeFarge
Milburn Stone	...	Chauzel
John Philliber	...	Mortemart
Charles McGraw	...	Menessier
Otho Gaines	...	Matowa
John Forrest	...	Free French Corporal
Fritz Leiber	...	Priest

Also Known As:

Bayonet Charge (USA) (reissue title)
Strange Confession (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:15

Company:

Universal Pictures

Soundtrack:

La Marseillaise

Uncertain glory....

If you've seen Raoul Walsh's "Uncertain glory", the resemblance of the beginnings of the two films will strike you.In both work,Errol Flynn (Walsh) and Gabin (Duvivier) are about to be guillotined but a bombing destroys everything,and they are free .So to speak.For France is either occupied (Walsh) or about to be (Duvivier).Most amazing thing,the films were made at the same time,as propaganda movies.To be fair ,one should say that Walsh's work is superior to Duvivier's.

Duvivier and Walsh take two divergent ways then.But the subject (and the moral) remains roughly the same: an impostor,a man (both Flynn and Gabin tell it so ) who is not afraid to die ,but who wants to die honorably ,not on a guillotine but while fighting for his country,thus redeeming himself.

Duvivier's story is almost a rehashed "Bandera" (1934),but it's not as bad as people generally say.Gabin (what a great idea!) killed a man,but he was so poor,having been brought up in an orphanage,sent to reform school ,blah ,blah,blah,well we know the score!.And as he becomes some talented Mister Ripley in the army,he nonetheless displays bravery, abnegation and sympathy for his mates.The most interesting scenes show Gabin with his pal from Normandy ,who remembers Christmases with his wife and his sister-in law Jeanne-Marie.The soundtrack includes many military marches("La Marseillaise" "Marche Lorraine" "Chant Du Départ" ). De Gaulle's speech (France has lost a battle,but she has not lost the war...) in English loses 90% of its appeal.

Duvivier's last American film ,it's perhaps his least interesting,but anyone interested in Duvivier's work should watch it once.