They are many films about World War II, but some of the best movies ever made are about the French Resistance. Although the French government fell by the spring of 1940, the Resistance continued to fight the Nazis and the collaborators. This resulted in countless unnamed heroes who risked their lives every day to resist Nazism and help the Allies fight the Axis powers, and there are myriad stories to tell about these brave souls. These are some of the best movies about the French Resistance of World War II.
11 Is Paris Burning?
Is Paris Burning? (Paris brûle-t-il?) was directed by René Clément and focuses on the liberation of Paris in August 1944. The 1966 film is based on Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre’s novel of the same name and has an international ensemble cast including Kirk Douglas, Orson Welles, Jean-Paul Belmondo, and Gert Fröbe. Is Paris Burning? was nominated for two Academy Awards and received generally positive reviews becoming one of the most popular French films of 1966.
10 This Land Is Mine
This Land is Mine was released on May 7, 1943, and set a record for its opening day gross. The American war drama was directed by Jean Renoir and written by Dudley Nichols. The film stars Maureen O’Hara, George Sanders, and Charles Laughton as the cowardly schoolteacher, Albert Lory. The acclaimed film takes place in occupied Europe during the height of World War II where Albert Lory is drawn to the resistance and their cause after an air raid. The film won an Academy Award for Best Sound Recording and is considered one of the best war films of the 1940s.
9 The Blood of Others
The Blood of Others (Le sang des autres) was released on August 25, 1984, as a three-hour television film before being edited down and dubbed into French for a European Theatrical release. The drama was directed by Claude Chabrol and was based on Simone de Beauvoir’s 1945 novel. The Blood of Others stars Jodie Foster as Hélène Bertrand, a young designer, and Michael Ontkean as her fiancé, Jean Blomart. The film follows them through the outbreak of World War II to their joining of the Resistance.
8 Odette
The 1950 British war film, Odette is based on the incredible true story of Special Operations Executive French agent, Odette Sansom (Anna Neagle). The movie was directed by Herbert Wilcox and written by Warren Chetham-Strode. Odette, which follows Sansom as she travels through France as an espionage agent, was based on the novel by Jerrard Tickell and went on to be a box office hit in England.
7 The Last Metro
One of Catherine Deneuve’s best movies is The Last Metro (Le Dernier Métro). The Last Metro premiered September 17, 1980, and was directed by François Truffaut. The film takes place during World War II in occupied France and follows Marion Steiner (Deneuve), the owner of the Théâtre Montmartre, and Bernard Granger (Gérard Depardieu), a young actor and member of the Resistance. This film was one of Truffaut’s most successful films and went on to win 10 Césars including Best Film, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Director. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. The Last Metro is now streaming on HBO Max.
6 The Train
The Train was directed by John Frankenheimer and starred Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, and Jeanne Moreau. The 1964 war film was based on Rose Valland’s non-fiction book Le front de l'art. The Train is set late into World War II and sets Resistance fighter Paul Labiche (Lancaster) against Nazi Colonel Franz von Waldheim (Scofield), who is in charge of shipping stolen paintings to Germany. The Train was highly successful in the UK and is currently streaming for free on Pluto TV.
5 Army of Shadows
Army of Shadows (L’Armée des ombres) is a Franco-Italian drama directed and written by Jean-Pierre Melville. The 1969 film is an adaptation of Joseph Kessel’s 1943 novel about a small group of Resistance fighters as they move around the country and work with Allied forces. Army of Shadows stars Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, and Simone Signoret, and was not well-received during its initial release. But a reappraisal of Army of Shadows led to its restoration and rerelease in 2006 which led to it being considered one of the best films of the year.
4 Au Revoir Les Enfants
Au Revoir Les Enfants is an autobiographical film that was written and directed by Louis Malle. The 1987 film stars Gaspard Manesse, Raphaël Fejtő, Francine Racette, and Philippe Morier-Genoud as Père Jean. Père Jean is based on the French Priest, Père Jacques, who attempted to hide Jewish children at his boarding school during the Holocaust. Au Revoir Les Enfants was highly praised with two nominations for an Academy Award, one BAFTA win, and seven César Award wins. Au Revoir Les Enfants is now streaming on HBO Max.
3 The Sorrow and the Pity
The Sorrow and the Pity (Le Chagrin et la Pitié) is a two-part documentary directed by Marcel Ophuls. The 1969 documentary discusses the collaboration between the Vichy government and the Nazis during World War II. Ophuls uses interviews and archival footage to look into the complexities of that time. The Sorrow and the Pity received positive reviews in America, but in France, it was considered unpatriotic and brought into question how the French government handled World War II.
2 A Man Escaped
One of the best war movies of the 1950s is A Man Escaped (Un condamné à mort s'est échappé) is based on André Devigny’s memoir about his time in Montluc prison as a member of the Resistance. The 1956 film stars François Leterrier, Charles Le Clainche, and Maurice Beerblock, and was directed and written by Robert Bresson. A Man Escaped was well received by critics, with some considering it a masterpiece for Bresson and a masterclass of a lesson in cinema.
1 Casablanca
Arguably Humphrey Bogart’s best movie of all time, Casablanca follows American Rick Blaine (Bogart) as he chooses between the women he loves and helping the Resistance during World War II. The 1942 film was directed by Michael Curtiz and was based on the unproduced stage play by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison, Everybody Comes to Rick. The film also stars Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, and Claude Rains. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three including Best Picture. Casablanca is highly regarded as one of the greatest films of all time and has become a classic war film. Casablanca is now streaming on HBO Max.