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French Films of the Occupation Period
In Nazi German-occupied France (May 1940 through December 1944), filmmaking changed in several significant ways. Firstly, a considerable portion of talent was lost due to governmental policies which imposed severe restrictions on France's Jewish population. The second period is November 1942-December 1944, during which Germany occupied the whole of France. Once France was united under German occupation in 1942, the Vichy regime under the leadership of Marshal Henri Philippe P茅tain was considered the official French government until the end of the war.
One of Germany's priorities in occupied France was to eliminate Jews from the all aspects of life, including the film making process. This process included destroying all prewar films which featured Jewish actors or directors.
The systemic exclusion and extermination of Jews was a goal with which the Vichy government willfully collaborated. Even before the Nazis had occupied France, political controls were being established to eliminate Jews from the workforce. The cinema was explicitly mentioned in the Statute on Jews voluntarily passed (meaning, without pressure from the Third Reich) by P茅tain in October of 1940. The legislation prohibited Jews from "any position Elite Alex Smith Jersey (http://www.shopsanfrancisco49ers.us/alex-smith-jersey-Nike-c-9_18.html) of responsibility, elective or otherwise, in a political, cultural, legal or military organization. Article 5 of it read as follows: 'Jews may not under any condition exercise any of the following professions: Directors, managers, editors of newspapers, magazines, agencies, or periodicals, except those of a strictly scientific nature. Directors, administrators, managers of theaters or cinemas, theatrical entrepreneurs; directors, administrators, managers of all enterprises related to radio broadcasting. . ." [1] While the Statute was produced by French antisemitism a German regulation passed on 26 November 1940 reinforced this requirement: "Whoever collaborates in film production in any way, whether intellectual or technical, in the distribution, maintenance, and projection of films and in the construction, sale, and rental of cameras, projectors, or other elements used in film production must obtain the approval of the Militarbefhlshaber for France . . ." [2] Needless to say, "approval" was impossible to Elite Pierre Garcon Jersey (http://www.shopwashingtonredskins.us/pierre-garcon-jersey-Nike-c-9_31.html) get for Jews.
Such oppressive legislation caused many Jewish directors and actors to leave France and continue their work elsewhere. While it is difficult to determine the precise numerical loss of Jewish talent in France, it has been estimated that "by comparison with prewar years, 47 professional filmmakers ceased all activity following the collapse and the intolerance which then beset the country. Seattle Seahawks Game Jersey (http://www.shopseattleseahawks.us/) This includes no less than 46% of all directors who had filmed 2 or more films between 1936 and 1940. Among the most prolific we might note Maurice de Canonge, who had made 10 films, Raymond Bernard (6), Pierre Colombier (8), Julien Duvivier (7), Rene Pujol (7) . . . They nonetheless completely banned foreign film imports, with a focus on eliminating American and British films.
German censorship of French films was relatively lenient, however, and focused largely on eliminated references to the United States and Great Britain. Film production was especially encouraged by the German company, Continental, a subsidiary of the firm, Ufa . Continental, which was headquartered in Paris, would produce, sell, and distribute Terence Newman Youth Jersey (http://www.shopcincinnatibengals.us/terence-newman-jersey-Nike-c-9_39.html) films in France. Of the approximately 220 features made in both parts of France during the occupation, 30 were produced by Continental.[5] In 1940, Berlin appointed Alfred Greven head of Continental. After the war, many of the French directors recruited by Greven were accused of collaborating with the Nazis. Such a view is understandable, as directors worked with German capital, "but unfounded from an ideological point of view . . . Continental's films, are the most 'subversive' between 1940 and 1944. It was because Continental enjoyed a privileged position and a certain degree of freedom that we detect in their films anti-establishment themes aimed at the family and a general impudent attitude towards hallowed traditions which were forbidden elsewhere." [6] For example, the only shots of nude women on the French screens between 1940 and 1944 appear in Continental productions.
Film development continued in France due in part to the creation of the Comit茅 d'Organisation de l'Industrie Cin茅matographique (COIC), which was created by the Vichy government in 1940. For example, La B锚te Humaine (The Human Beast, 1938), directed by Jean Renoir, was banned by the French censors only to be redistributed by the Nazis. "To Vichy we owe some of the most oppressive literature and films of the twentieth century. . Paradoxically, [Continental] as a Nazi-run company, had special legal and political status which allowed it to keep alive a specifically French spirit of "derision, irony and provocation . [Continental] was immune to Vichy's restrictions." [7]
Many films made during the occupation were "comedies and melodramas of the sort that had appeared before the war. [Censorship] forced filmmakers to avoid subject matter relating to the war and domestic social problems. . Belying their straitened circumstances, these films were expert productions, with impressive sets and major stars . Arguably the two most famous films of the Occupation period are Carn茅's Les enfants du paradis,(Children of Paradise, 1945), and Henri-Georges Clouzot's Randall Cobb Youth Jersey (http://www.shopgreenbaypackers.us/randall-cobb-jersey-Nike-c-9_16.html) Le courbeau (The Crow, 1943).
Les Enfants du paradis tells the narrative of a complicated romance. Set in Paris in 1828, it was voted the "Best French Film Ever" in a poll of 600 French critics and professionals in 1995. In contrast, Le courbeau takes place in a war-ridden province-town and can be interpreted as a film noir. Both of these feature films were produced by Continental. Other celebrated films include Gr茅millon's Lumi猫re d'脡t茅 (1943) and Le ciel est 脿 vous (The Sky is Yours, 1944), which were both made with COIC funding from low-interest government loans.
In war-stricken France however, film making conditions were less than ideal. The production of Les enfants du paradis for example, faced hardship in several significant ways. The film was shot between Paris and Nice and "its designer and composer, Jews sought by the Nazis, worked from hiding. Carn茅 was forced to hire pro-Nazi collaborators as extras; they did not suspect they were working next to resistance fighters. The Nazis banned all films over about 90 minutes in length, so Carn茅 simply made two films, confident he could show them together after the war was over."[9]
Wartime audiences continued to love the cinema and to watch films routinely. However, their selection cvxdfff678 of films to view had been severely limited due to the ban on American and British films. Once American competition was eliminated, French films, with a mix of German and Italian imports, dominated the market: "with [American competition] out of the way, the French industry's percentage of receipts rose to 85%."[10] Filmmaker "Andre Cayatte said, 'The occupation was a period when all films were successful because the cinema replaced everything else: meeting place, heated area, means of escape, weekend outings.' But the main reason for this sudden profitability was the fact that the receipts, running at about 90% of prewar levels in real terms, were spread now among far fewer films, because of the reduction in foreign imports and the restriction of French population. The total market in 1941-1944 averaged only 100-130 films instead of the 450-580 films that disputed the prewar market."[11]
In Nazi German-occupied France (May 1940 through December 1944), filmmaking changed in several significant ways. Firstly, a considerable portion of talent was lost due to governmental policies which imposed severe restrictions on France's Jewish population. The second period is November 1942-December 1944, during which Germany occupied the whole of France. Once France was united under German occupation in 1942, the Vichy regime under the leadership of Marshal Henri Philippe P茅tain was considered the official French government until the end of the war.
One of Germany's priorities in occupied France was to eliminate Jews from the all aspects of life, including the film making process. This process included destroying all prewar films which featured Jewish actors or directors.
The systemic exclusion and extermination of Jews was a goal with which the Vichy government willfully collaborated. Even before the Nazis had occupied France, political controls were being established to eliminate Jews from the workforce. The cinema was explicitly mentioned in the Statute on Jews voluntarily passed (meaning, without pressure from the Third Reich) by P茅tain in October of 1940. The legislation prohibited Jews from "any position Elite Alex Smith Jersey (http://www.shopsanfrancisco49ers.us/alex-smith-jersey-Nike-c-9_18.html) of responsibility, elective or otherwise, in a political, cultural, legal or military organization. Article 5 of it read as follows: 'Jews may not under any condition exercise any of the following professions: Directors, managers, editors of newspapers, magazines, agencies, or periodicals, except those of a strictly scientific nature. Directors, administrators, managers of theaters or cinemas, theatrical entrepreneurs; directors, administrators, managers of all enterprises related to radio broadcasting. . ." [1] While the Statute was produced by French antisemitism a German regulation passed on 26 November 1940 reinforced this requirement: "Whoever collaborates in film production in any way, whether intellectual or technical, in the distribution, maintenance, and projection of films and in the construction, sale, and rental of cameras, projectors, or other elements used in film production must obtain the approval of the Militarbefhlshaber for France . . ." [2] Needless to say, "approval" was impossible to Elite Pierre Garcon Jersey (http://www.shopwashingtonredskins.us/pierre-garcon-jersey-Nike-c-9_31.html) get for Jews.
Such oppressive legislation caused many Jewish directors and actors to leave France and continue their work elsewhere. While it is difficult to determine the precise numerical loss of Jewish talent in France, it has been estimated that "by comparison with prewar years, 47 professional filmmakers ceased all activity following the collapse and the intolerance which then beset the country. Seattle Seahawks Game Jersey (http://www.shopseattleseahawks.us/) This includes no less than 46% of all directors who had filmed 2 or more films between 1936 and 1940. Among the most prolific we might note Maurice de Canonge, who had made 10 films, Raymond Bernard (6), Pierre Colombier (8), Julien Duvivier (7), Rene Pujol (7) . . . They nonetheless completely banned foreign film imports, with a focus on eliminating American and British films.
German censorship of French films was relatively lenient, however, and focused largely on eliminated references to the United States and Great Britain. Film production was especially encouraged by the German company, Continental, a subsidiary of the firm, Ufa . Continental, which was headquartered in Paris, would produce, sell, and distribute Terence Newman Youth Jersey (http://www.shopcincinnatibengals.us/terence-newman-jersey-Nike-c-9_39.html) films in France. Of the approximately 220 features made in both parts of France during the occupation, 30 were produced by Continental.[5] In 1940, Berlin appointed Alfred Greven head of Continental. After the war, many of the French directors recruited by Greven were accused of collaborating with the Nazis. Such a view is understandable, as directors worked with German capital, "but unfounded from an ideological point of view . . . Continental's films, are the most 'subversive' between 1940 and 1944. It was because Continental enjoyed a privileged position and a certain degree of freedom that we detect in their films anti-establishment themes aimed at the family and a general impudent attitude towards hallowed traditions which were forbidden elsewhere." [6] For example, the only shots of nude women on the French screens between 1940 and 1944 appear in Continental productions.
Film development continued in France due in part to the creation of the Comit茅 d'Organisation de l'Industrie Cin茅matographique (COIC), which was created by the Vichy government in 1940. For example, La B锚te Humaine (The Human Beast, 1938), directed by Jean Renoir, was banned by the French censors only to be redistributed by the Nazis. "To Vichy we owe some of the most oppressive literature and films of the twentieth century. . Paradoxically, [Continental] as a Nazi-run company, had special legal and political status which allowed it to keep alive a specifically French spirit of "derision, irony and provocation . [Continental] was immune to Vichy's restrictions." [7]
Many films made during the occupation were "comedies and melodramas of the sort that had appeared before the war. [Censorship] forced filmmakers to avoid subject matter relating to the war and domestic social problems. . Belying their straitened circumstances, these films were expert productions, with impressive sets and major stars . Arguably the two most famous films of the Occupation period are Carn茅's Les enfants du paradis,(Children of Paradise, 1945), and Henri-Georges Clouzot's Randall Cobb Youth Jersey (http://www.shopgreenbaypackers.us/randall-cobb-jersey-Nike-c-9_16.html) Le courbeau (The Crow, 1943).
Les Enfants du paradis tells the narrative of a complicated romance. Set in Paris in 1828, it was voted the "Best French Film Ever" in a poll of 600 French critics and professionals in 1995. In contrast, Le courbeau takes place in a war-ridden province-town and can be interpreted as a film noir. Both of these feature films were produced by Continental. Other celebrated films include Gr茅millon's Lumi猫re d'脡t茅 (1943) and Le ciel est 脿 vous (The Sky is Yours, 1944), which were both made with COIC funding from low-interest government loans.
In war-stricken France however, film making conditions were less than ideal. The production of Les enfants du paradis for example, faced hardship in several significant ways. The film was shot between Paris and Nice and "its designer and composer, Jews sought by the Nazis, worked from hiding. Carn茅 was forced to hire pro-Nazi collaborators as extras; they did not suspect they were working next to resistance fighters. The Nazis banned all films over about 90 minutes in length, so Carn茅 simply made two films, confident he could show them together after the war was over."[9]
Wartime audiences continued to love the cinema and to watch films routinely. However, their selection cvxdfff678 of films to view had been severely limited due to the ban on American and British films. Once American competition was eliminated, French films, with a mix of German and Italian imports, dominated the market: "with [American competition] out of the way, the French industry's percentage of receipts rose to 85%."[10] Filmmaker "Andre Cayatte said, 'The occupation was a period when all films were successful because the cinema replaced everything else: meeting place, heated area, means of escape, weekend outings.' But the main reason for this sudden profitability was the fact that the receipts, running at about 90% of prewar levels in real terms, were spread now among far fewer films, because of the reduction in foreign imports and the restriction of French population. The total market in 1941-1944 averaged only 100-130 films instead of the 450-580 films that disputed the prewar market."[11]