Arise, My Love (1940)

Simply A Masterpiece

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This was the fourth out of six Paramount films for which Billy Wilder received a screenplay credit (he actually worked without credit on as many again) and the third of the six (after Bluebeard's Eighth Wife and Midnight) to star Claudette Colbert but whilst the first two were out- and-out comedies Arise, My Love is a fine blend of drama and romantic comedy set against the outbreak of World War 11 and shot just as Paris fell to the Germans in 1940. Another difference between the first two films is that in both Colbert had sterling support from the likes of David Niven, Edward Everett Horton, John Barrymore, Mary Astor whilst here, she and co-star Ray Milland carry the bulk of the plot with Walter Abel sharing a handful of scenes. Although Wilder was unhappy with Mitchell Liesens' directing - he helmed several Wilder screenplays - and claimed that Liesen was the reason he fought to direct his own screenplays the fact is that Leisen makes a fairly decent fist of a fine screenplay and coaxes excellent performances out of the two stars.

I loved this film from beginning to end. It made me laugh and it made me cry, and it left me with the feeling that I had watched one of the best screen romances ever. The script was so wonderfully written, the dialogues really sparkled like diamonds and ... Ray Milland was handsomer here than in any other film I have seen him!! He treated Clodette Colbere with a mixture of humor ,tenderness and respect, that was very endearing and touching. At moments, he seemed like an insecure little boy, and I am sure that he was never like that with any other of his co-stars. Needless to say, I loved this aspect of his very much!!! Something else that I found interesting is that the film was made almost simultaneously with the historical events it describes. This adds to its authenticity and gives us a sense of watching history in the making. The mixing of comedy and drama does not annoy me. It is more than realistic and in fact welcome, here. We deal with two very smart and out of the ordinary people, living very unusual lives, taking active parts in what goes on around them, so it is to be expected that they will have an acute sense of humor as well as forceful feelings about the war and about each other. In our lives there is place for both comedy and drama, why it should not be so for a movie, who depicts life? Just to add that the DVD now available, (spanish edition but with English audio)has very good quality of sound and picture, and does justice to this uniquely beautiful film.

Mitchell Leisen gets superb performances from CLAUDETTE COLBERT and RAY MILLAND in ARISE, MY LOVE.It's a comedy/drama with Claudette as a journalist tired of covering fluffy stories who decides to get into serious journalism by rescuing a man about to be executed during the Spanish Civil War (Milland) so that she can be the first writer to get a scoop on a great story. As soon as she and her prisoner meet, the deft comic timing of these two pros are given great support from Billy Wilder's clever script. Early on, there's a scene of mistaken intentions that has Ray thinking Claudette wants to seduce him. He's oblivious to the fact that she merely wants to take some photos of him for the article she intends to write. The double entendre dialog has seldom been matched, in this scene alone.Personally, I prefer "Midnight," another Leisen/Colbert film shown before this one on TCM. It's even wittier and much funnier. The trouble with ARISE, MY LOVE is that it attempts to do too many things at once and emerges as an uneven romantic comedy with a war background. For the ending, Claudette gets to deliver a flag waving speech that is obviously meant for 1940 audiences who were facing the prospect of getting involved in WWII.Lots of laughs along the way with both stars delivering excellent performances.

Up until 1939 when Warner Brothers took Nazi Germany in "Confessions of a Nazi Spy", Hollywood was very silent about Hitler and the Third Reich. Part of this was because the American public was staunchly neutral towards Germany and the war. In fact, Hitler had been a rather popular guy in America! Another reason films didn't criticize this repressive regime was because Congress had enacted some unconstitutional legislation that prevented Hollywood for taking a stance towards or against any side in the conflict in Europe! However, starting in 1940, the studios finally declared their independence and a wide variety of anti-Nazi films were released--the tide had finally turned though it wouldn't be until almost 1942 that the US finally got pulled into the war. With films like "Storm Warning", "Escape" and "Arise, My Love" were just a few of the 1940 anti-Nazi films.The movie finds Ray Milland in a Spanish prison awaiting execution after his capture by Franco's Nationalist troops. If you don't remember your history classes, these Nationalists were allies with the Germans and they provided assistance during this civil war--as they wanted to try out all their cool new weapons on the Republican soldiers. As Milland is awaiting death, he laments that he wishes he could live long enough to fight the Nazis directly--a distinctly anti-neutrality statement! However, just before he is shot, his wife shows up and is granted a pardon if he just agrees to leave the country. However, Milland is NOT married and Colbert is actually a crazy reporter who is trying to do a good thing AND get a great story! When this is discovered, the two beat a hasty retreat across the border to France.Soon, the couple are hanging out in Paris. Milland is now a bit of a celebrity and Colbert decides to stick by him to get a story--though the story seems over and you wonder what Colbert really wants. Not surprisingly, the two soon fall in love. But, oddly, Colbert fights hard NOT to fall for Milland and only when she shares a train car on the way to a new assignment in Berlin does she finally give in to Milland's advances. Instead of continuing the journey, they take a brief vacation together--during which WWII begins when the Germans invade Poland. Now the couple are unsure what to do next. Should they go back to America and settle down to a life or domesticity or should they stay and do their part to battle the Fascists? When they chose the safer life in America, things don't go as they'd expect as the ship is sunk by a Nazi sub. This ship, the SS Athenia, was actually the first British ship sank in the war. They survive but what's next?! Try seeing the movie yourself to find out what the two lovers decide to do now.This film is among the most romantic films Milland or Colbert made in their very distinguished careers. But, it is unusual in that it also has such a highly serious side to it as well--and you know the romance is fated as well--providing a wistful tone of the film. It comes off very well and the dialog sparkles...and it has a timely political message as well. Extremely well done and enjoyable.