[Quick Summary: In WWII, a cowardly school teacher, who lives with his domineering mother in a German occupied town, is tempted to join the Resistance.]
This script takes awhile to get to the point.
It's due to a rather intricate set up and the close connections between characters:
- Albert Lory, the timid protagonist, and his neighbor, Louise Martin are grade school teachers.
- Albert has a secret crush on Louise.
- Their principal and mentor is Prof. Sorel.
- Louise is engaged to George Lambert who works in the railroad terminal office.
- A member of the underground Resistance has been plaguing the town with bombs.
However, it's worth the wait. I liked how it delivers an emotional punch, often through nuanced subtext, such as this aha! realization in the scene below:
- The police have just jailed Prof. Sorel as the suspected bomber.
- Louise now goes to see George, who speaks against the bomber.
- However, the secret bomber is actually Paul, Louise's brother. He works at the railroad switch tower under George.
- I liked that Louise is working out her confusion in real time. ex. She admits her confusion to George ("Maybe I'm still in love with you.")
- This conversation about the bomber has brought Louise to an aha! revelation emotionally, i.e., she sees that she and George do not think alike.
- Notice the button on the scene (last few lines), which: a) show how far George and Louise are; and b) are ironic, as Paul is the bomber George has just been dissing.
INTERIOR GEORGE LAMBERT'S OFFICE - AT FRIGHT TERMINAL - DAY
...[Paul] leads [Louise] over to his chair and she sinks into it, glad to be weak for a change and have someone to comfort her. He takes his handkerchief and dries her eyes.
GEORGE (continued)(as to a child, tenderly): There now, is that better?
LOUISE: George, I'm frightened. I'm scared to death. Life is getting horrible. I don't know what to do. I need you.
GEORGE: Of course you need me, darling. That's what I'm here for. I love you.
As she relaxes, comforted:
GEORGE (continued): I know all about Sorel. They also took that fellow that runs the store across the street from you - Lorraine, and eight other men. One of them worked here in the yard. (petting her comfortingly) But nothing can happen for a week. If they find the man who threw the bomb they'll all be released.
LOUISE (half out of her mind): But that's just it. You don't understand. The man who threw the bomb -- Oh, George, I'm in an awful situation.
GEORGE (comfortingly): I know, dear, I know. The man who threw the bomb is a criminal.
Louise draws back and looks up at him as if she couldn't have heard right but in his indignation he doesn't notice it.
GEORGE (continued): If he has a spark of courage he'll come forward and admit his guilt - save innocent men.
LOUISE (staring at him): You really think he's a criminal?
GEORGE (righteously): Look Louise, all fo us hate this Occupation. I stood up to Major von Keller and told him to his face I didn't like it. But we have to face facts: They have the power. If one of us wants to resist, and get killed, that's foolish but courageous. He takes the risk and punishment himself. But the man who secretly resists, with acts of sabotage, is a coward; he escapes and innocent people die.
LOUISE (staring at him): You believe that?
GEORGE: It's obvious, darling.
LOUISE (looking at him strangely): You mean everyone who resists the enemy should give himself up, George?
GEORGE: I think so.
LOUISE: Then there is no more resistance.
GEORGE: Then we'd have peace. Wouldn't we be better off? Our duty now is to keep alive. To exist. What becomes of a nation if its citizens all die? Do you want to die? Do I want to die?
LOUISE (quietly; looks at him as if she had never seen him before): I saw them take Professor Sorel. He's not afraid to die.
She gets up and looks out the window, suddenly a million miles from him.
GEORGE: But he's old. We're young. Life means everything to us.
LOUISE (looking out at the switch tower): I know young men who aren't afraid to die. [She means her brother Paul.]
GEORGE (goes to her): Nothing is worth the sacrifice of your life, Louise. We have everything ahead of us - love, marriage, children --
LOUISE (turns on him): No, George.
He looks at her blankly as she takes off the ring and drops it on his desk.
LOUISE (continued): I was in love with you. Maybe I'm still in love with you. But I begin to feel as if I'd never looked at you before. This is the first time you've been frank with me. My mind's confused -- I haven't the right answer yet for the things you've said, but I feel -- I know you're wrong.
Her eyes widen as the door swings open and Paul walks in, his usual gay self.
PAUL: Hello, folks. (grins) I don't know how you do it, George. I can't get my girl to come down here and visit me.
Louise walks straight past him and exits. He looks after her curiously, then at the discomfited George.
PAUL (continued): Hey, what's the matter?
GEORGE (trying to cover up, hiding the ring in his hand): Oh, she's just upset. She'll get over it. You know women.
PAUL (laughs): I sure don't.
FADE OUT
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The subtext here works because:
- George and Louise fundamentally have opposing views on the Resistance.
- George is missing information (doesn't know the secret about Paul).
- This moment comes at a crucial turning point (there are stakes).
In addition, I also liked how the subtext is also about other things: the bomber (surface); Prof. Sorel; young vs. old; the line of sacrifice; vulnerability; need; status.
This Land is Mine (1943)(anthology with only the script)
This Land is Mine (1943)(script + introduction)*
by Dudley Nichols
*This is a stand-alone publication includes the script plus an introduction with interesting details about where this film falls in history, the RKO studio, the director Renoir, and star Charles Laughton.
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