In the shadow of the triumphal arch
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | In the shadow of the triumphal arch |
| Original title | Arch of Triumph |
| Country of production | United Kingdom |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1985 |
| length | 105 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Waris Hussein |
| script | Charles E. Israel |
| production | Mort Abrahamson, Peter Graham Scott , John Newland |
| music | Georges Delerue |
| camera | Bob Edwards |
| cut | Terry Maisey |
| occupation | |
| |
In the shadow of the Triumphal Arch (Original title: Arch of Triumph ) is a British television film from 1985 , which was produced by Harlech Television . It is based on the novel Arc de Triomphe (1945) by Erich Maria Remarque . Already in 1948 the subject was with Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer been filmed. The film was directed by Waris Hussein and starring Anthony Hopkins , Lesley-Anne Down and Donald Pleasence .
action
Paris on the eve of the Second World War : the Austrian surgeon Ravic fled to France from political persecution by the National Socialist German regime. He helped Jews flee and suffered torture in a concentration camp. He lives illegally in France and is threatened with deportation at any time. Ravic's situation is shamelessly exploited by the French. As a surgeon he works in a hospital and does highly qualified work there. He is treated with contempt by the nurses and his pay is absurdly low. Ravic is friends with Boris, who fled the Soviet Union. Both live in a wrecked hotel for illegals. Ravic is plagued by nightmares on his nights. Haake's Nazi officer tortured him and his fiancée in order to put pressure on him. The Nazis are always present in his head. Ravic met the beautiful Joan Madou by chance on a bridge over the Seine while she was about to kill herself. A romance develops between them. Joan starts working as a singer in the Scheherazade nightclub . Ravic experiences romantic moments with her. One day Ravic sees a man in Paris who reminds him of von Haake.
When a passer-by needs help, Ravic helps her. The police take him to the station to record the injury. There he is recognized as illegal and ruthlessly expelled like a serious criminal and taken to the German-French border. The French soldiers expose the illegals near the border and ask them to return to the German Reich. Ravic escapes and makes his way back to Paris. After Ravic's disappearance, Joan has started an affair with a wealthy director in order to have a protector and patron. When Ravic and Joan meet again, the relationship has cooled. In order not to be emotionally hurt, Ravic suppresses his feelings for Joan and plays the unapproachable. Joan tells Ravic that she actually loves him, but that she can't just leave her lover out of gratitude. She asks Ravic for time. Ravic sits down in the café and meets von Haake there. He does not recognize Ravic and they both start a conversation. Ravic reveals himself as a German patriot and offers himself as a friend from Haake. Ravic calls himself von Horn and offers von Haake to show him some interesting brothels in the red light district. Von Haake is thrilled and promises Ravic to get in touch with him in two weeks. At the same time, Europe's political situation darkens, as a new world war looms. Ravic succeeds in catching von Haake in such a way that he gets into his car. Both go to the country. When von Haake realizes that something is wrong, Ravic stabs him. He makes the corpse disappear.
When he is back in Paris, Joan's lover rushed to Ravic. He confesses that he shot Joan out of jealousy. Both drive to the seriously injured Joan. Ravic takes her to the hospital and fights for her life. However, he realizes that she can no longer be saved. With the last of her strength, she confesses to Ravic that he was her great love and dies in his arms. The otherwise self-controlled Ravic collapses. His friend Boris leaves Paris. Ravic has no strength left to flee, he allows himself to be arrested by the French authorities and is taken to an internment camp.
additional
In the film, Lesley-Anne Down sings " J'attendrai ".
criticism
The criticism evaluation website Rottentomatoes only had 25% positive reviews.
“ Overall, a successful film adaptation of the novel, albeit a bit lengthy in places; exactly in the character drawing, played impressively in the main role. "
Web links
- In the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe in theInternet Movie Database(English)