Unlike "Amok" which depicted an Amour Fou ,or " La Dame De Pique " which was is return to basics ,for Ozep was Russian "Gibraltar " is a spy thriller ;it's also,as many French movies of the era,a propaganda movie ;although the villains have no homeland ,the simple name of Erich Von Stroheim cannot delude for long .One scene shows both English and French flags flying together while "La Marseillaise " is heard :Entente Cordiale ,which would be the title of Marcel L'Herbier 's large - scale propaganda work.
Off Gibraltar ,British ships blow up;there might be a mole among the British officers ;one of them,who do not see the love one of his superiors ' daughter feels for him is in love with a sexy flamenco dancer (Viviane Romance,ideally cast as the Femme Fatale ),herself a pawn in the game of a would be hairdresser (Von Stroheim) who is actually a dangerous terrorist.But you should not not go by appearances.
The beginning is outstanding :on a ship,the sailors are singing "God Save the king" and " Auld Lang Syne" whilst in the hold,two men are talking about Brigitte : who could be her best companion?;then we discover who this Brigitte is ;unexpectedly, the ship blows up and on the sea,there's only one survivor...
The rest on the movie is not on the same level,and directing remains plain ,but the death of Mercédès nearly matches the brilliance of the opening scene.
It was to be Ozep's final movie in France ,before he moved for Canada ,in the wake of WW2
Off Gibraltar ,British ships blow up;there might be a mole among the British officers ;one of them,who do not see the love one of his superiors ' daughter feels for him is in love with a sexy flamenco dancer (Viviane Romance,ideally cast as the Femme Fatale ),herself a pawn in the game of a would be hairdresser (Von Stroheim) who is actually a dangerous terrorist.But you should not not go by appearances.
The beginning is outstanding :on a ship,the sailors are singing "God Save the king" and " Auld Lang Syne" whilst in the hold,two men are talking about Brigitte : who could be her best companion?;then we discover who this Brigitte is ;unexpectedly, the ship blows up and on the sea,there's only one survivor...
The rest on the movie is not on the same level,and directing remains plain ,but the death of Mercédès nearly matches the brilliance of the opening scene.
It was to be Ozep's final movie in France ,before he moved for Canada ,in the wake of WW2
