This Land Is Mine

Director: Jean Renoir

Overview

A timorous instructor (Charles Laughton) is motivated to act against the Nazi occupation of his hometown and he becomes a hero in this drama by French director Jean Renoir.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/15/2012
UPC:	0883316649992
Original Release:	1943
Source:	Warner Archives
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Full Frame]
Sound:	[monaural]
Language:	English
Time:	1:43:00
Sales rank:	22,400

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Charles Laughton	Arthur Lory
Maureen O'Hara	Louise Martin
George Sanders	George Lambert
Walter Slezak	Maj. Erich von Keller
Kent Smith	Paul Martin
Una O'Connor	Mrs. Emma Lory
Philip Merivale	Prof. Sorel
Thurston Hall	Mayor Henry Manville
George Coulouris	Prosecuting Attorney
Nancy Gates	Julie Grant
Ivan Simpson	Judge,Judge
John Donat	Edmund Lorraine
Frank Alten	Lt. Schwartz
Leo Bulgakov	Little Man
Wheaton Chambers	Mr. Lorraine
Cecil Weston	Mrs. Lorraine
Ludwig Donath	German Captain
Lillian O'Malley	Woman in Street
Gordon Clark	Lieutenant
Hans Moebus	German Chauffeur
Jack Martin	German Captain
Gabriel Lenoff	German Lieutenant
Philip Ahlm	German Lieutenant
Albert D'Arno	German Soldier
Rudolph Myzet	German Soldier
Lester Sharpe	German Soldier
Sven Hugo Borg	German Soldier
Nicholas Vehr	German Soldier
Russell Hoyt	German Soldier
Walter Thiele	German Soldier
Louis Arno	German Sergeant
Bob Stevenson	German Sergeant
Hans Schumm	German Sergeant
John Banner	German Sergeant
George Sorel	German Sergeant
Ferdinand Schumann-Heink	Karl
Gus Taillon	Newsman
William Yetter	Otto
Edward McNamara	Policeman
Otto Hoffman	Printer
Hans von Morhart	Soldier Who Gets Slapped
John Dilson	Mayor's Secretary
Ernest Grooney	Priest
George MacQuarrie	Chief of Police
Tommy Bond	Julian
John Rice	Burly Cop
Jack Shea	Burly Cop
Ida Shoemaker	Woman in Street
Oscar Lorraine	Clerk
Joan Barclay	Young Woman
Mildred Hardy	Old Woman
Margaret Fealy	Old Woman
Linda Ann Bieber	Emily
Lloyd Ingraham	Paper Man in Street
Terrellyne Johnson	Girl,Boy
Hallene Hill	Woman at Window
Mary Stuart	Photo Double
George Carleton	Jury Foreman
Hal Malone	Bit in Courtroom
Henry Roquemore	Butcher
Trevor Bardette	Courtroom Guard Who Brings Albert's Notes
Gordon B. Clark	Lieutenant
William Yetter Jr.	Otto

Technical Credits

Dudley Nichols

Dudley Nichols	Screenwriter,Producer
Jean Renoir	Producer
Vernon L. Walker	Special Effects,Special Effects
James G. Stewart	Sound Effects
Terry Kellum	Sound Effects
Stephen Dunn	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

This Land Is Mine is dismissed by some as a mere wartime propaganda film, and this is unfortunate. It's true that Land is a message picture and that it perhaps veers a little into proselytizing in order to make its points. But if that message supports the Allied efforts during the war, it's still a fairly unusual message -- namely that individuals have the responsibility to stand up to tyranny on their own, which was an implicit condemnation of French acquiescence in the Occupation. Land also provides plenty of shades of grade in its portraits of its cast of characters. Unfortunately, it also gets a bit talky and preachy in places, and stretches believability in others -- none moreso than in its climactic scene. Lory's speech is effective and powerful, but there's absolutely no way that the Nazi occupiers would have allowed a person the latitude to make such a speech. These flaws aside, Land has a lot to recommend it, from Jean Renoir's assured and often masterful direction to Charles Laughton's impressive performance to nice supporting turns from Walter Slezak and Maureen O'Hara. George Sanders, unfortunately, doesn't share in the accolades, delivering a wan and dispirited performance.