Rent Resistance (2020)

Story Line that I was not Aware Of - Resistance review by CP Customer

Very watchable film about the exploits of Marcel Marceau during WW2 to assist in the rescue of Jewish orphans and their safe transfer over the SWISS Border, despite the efforts of Klaus Barbie aka The Butcher of Lyon, to stop them.   The film is helped by an outstanding performance by Jesse Eisenberg as Marcel Marceau and a supporting cast with special mention of the children/teenagers that were outstanding!

Watchable Biopic of Marcel Marceau's Heroism for French Resistance in WWII, and Klaus Barbie too. - Resistance review by PV

I loved this film. It's not only highly entertaining, but educational - though not in the woke pc preachy lecturing way of so much BBC/ITV Television drama now. I did not know about Marcel Marceau's WWII resistance story, so that was fascinating - and true.

There is a rather random scene in this film of a gay nightclub/bar in Berlin full of SS and German army and Hitler Youth - that could be a whole other film in itself, but seems shoehorned in here, and clunky.

Most of the film takes place in Strasburg, or Lyons, the latter being in French-ruled Vichy France until that ended in 1942 and Germany took all of France. The French police/gendarmes there happily rounded up many jews to deport them to death camps.

The film is also about the 'Butcher of Lyons', Klaus Barbie, who was finally convicted in France in 1983 and spent his last years in prison there.

Before that, the USA helped him escape justice after the war, because he helped their anti-communist effort and knew all about torture. That is US history most do not know. They also recruited von Braun for the space programme - he who has designed the V1 and V2 rockets that killed 12000+ in London.

They were 2 of many who escaped justice after the war, often helped to escape by the catholic church via Genoa then Spain/Portugal (fascist dictatorships at the time). A few were captured and brought back, such as Adolf Eichmann. Some killed in situ. Most survived - like Dr Mengele. In total, 97% SS members and those who committed war crimes evaded justice, often going on to work for the German state after the war, or at universities, or in business, or in politics, media etc. Shameful. Watch GENERATION WAR the great German TV series (2013) to see that and more.

I did wonder in this film if the French resistance had black members. I have found accounts of 2 black women operating in Vichy. No black men. So no idea how accurate this is or how boxticker the film is being to nod to the diversity quotas. Certainly, there were many Africans, black (eg from Senegal) and moorish from Algeria/Morocco, in the French military. Those the Germans captured in 1940 were shot, as an 'inferior race'. But the south of France landings in 1944 had many Free French black colonial battalions.

Sadly, no subtitles available. They would have been useful what with various accents being mumbled.

It's occasionally a bit disjointed as a film, but an excellent watch nonetheless. The acting is great, from Jesse Eisenberg and especially Matthias Schweighofer who plays the monstrous anti-semite Barbie with a cold dark menace, though as a three dimensional character with a wife and baby.

4 stars

Hollywood movie - Resistance review by PT

The are enough French films in this genre with grit and integrity.

This is a Hollywoodised version.

Sickly sweet take on subject matter that is worth vastly more.