- Director: Jean Renoir
- AMG Rating:
- Genre: Drama
- Movie Type: War Drama
- Themes: Life Under Occupation, Teachers and Students
- Main Cast: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara, George Sanders, Walter Slezak, Kent Smith
- Release Year: 1943
- Country: US
- Run Time: 103 minutes
Plot
Written by Dudley Nichols and directed by French expatriate director Jean Renoir, This Land is Mine is one of those "inspirational" wartime dramas that just don't hold up too well when seen today. The scene is an unnamed European country, recently overrun by the Nazis (this takes place during a "silent" opening sequence that's the best thing in the film). Charles Laughton plays Albert Lory, a mama's-boy schoolmaster who is the object of his students' ridicule. A craven coward, Lory is held responsible when resistance fighter Paul Martin (Kent Smith), the brother of beauteous teacher Louise Martin (Maureen O'Hara), is executed by the Nazis, though in fact it was Lory's panic-stricken mother (Una O'Connor) who betrayed Paul by informing on him to his friend and collaborator George Lambert (George Sanders).~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
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. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie GuideCast
- Charles Laughton - Arthur Lory
- Maureen O'Hara - Louise Martin
- George Sanders - George Lambert
- Walter Slezak - Maj. Erich von Keller
- Kent Smith - Paul Martin
