Cedric Hardwicke

Henry Travers

Lee J. Cobb

Dorris Bowdon

Margaret Wycherly

Peter van Eyck

William Post Jr.

Henry Rowland

E.J. Ballantine

Richard Abbott

Louis V. Arco

Georgia Backus

John Banner

Trevor Bardette

Hank Bell

John Bleifer

Sven Hugo Borg

Tom Brown

Frederic Brunn

Ricardo Lord Cezon

Harry Cording

Jeff Corey

Albert D'Arno

Joseph Eggenton

Edith Evanson

Monica Folts

Frederick Giermann

Gibson Gowland

Ludwig Hardt

Ernst Hauessermann

Gertrude Hoffmann

Guy Kingsford

Kurt Kreuger

Paul Kruger

Connie Leon

Jack Low

Mae Marsh

Charles Mason

Charles McGraw

Peter Michael

John Mylong

Frank O'Connor

Patrick O'Moore

Netta Packer

Dorothy Peterson

Irving Pichel

Otto Reichow

Ruth Robinson

Constantine Romanoff

Francine Rufo

Audrey Scott

Lester Sharpe

Harry Tenbrook

Helene Thimig

Leon Tyler

Sam Waagenaar

Vesey Walker

Paul Weigel

Walter White Jr.

Violette Wilson

Ian Wolfe

Natalie Wood

Nunnally Johnson

John Steinbeck

Louis R. Loeffler

Arthur C. Miller

Alfred Newman

Drama

The Moon Is Down

20th Century Fox

United States of America

CinemaSerf

There are only a few period wartime stories told around events in the occupied Kingdom of Norway, and this is one of the better efforts. Sir Cedric Hardwicke is the Nazi colonel sent to supervise a small town that exists to support a nearby iron-ore mine. A sophisticate, of sorts, he initially attempts to deal reasonably with the townspeople led by their Mayor (Henry Travers) but soon realises that these people are not the type to sit idly by, sabotage soon becomes rife - and a battle of wills - and philosophies - ensues. It has some subtly to it, both Hardwicke and Peter van Eyck ("Lt. Tonder") demonstrate some degree of humanity from the occupier's perspective, and both Travers and Lee J. Cobb ("Dr. Winter") deliver well as the peaceful, elderly, men who do not consider themselves to be brave, but they are proud and are determined to see off their murderous guests - even if it costs them their lives. It is plausible, which helps enormously, and the pace from Irving Pichel draws us into their ghastly predicament well. Made mid-WWII, it has a slight tinge of propaganda to it, but the characters have an element of authenticity about them that makes this a decidedly more nuanced watch than many of it's time.

English