Summary: Portrait of a French town immediately after the liberation.
Description: "The Germans are only 3 miles away", but the film shows how Allied forces and the citizens, working together, begin to rebuild (literally and figuratively) the town's life. Film shows how town is damaged (a shrine to Joan of Arc, a college, the bridge etc) or at best stagnant (steel works, railway); an American civil affairs officer, and the Mayor, listen to problems; news bulletin on the wall, distribution of food; improvisation (old ferry across the river) and repair work begins (to generators, telephone wires, streets, roofs); volunteer police are sworn in, army water-purifying units and repair trains arrive. The town is seen enjoying the freedom of a Sunday (girls play basketball), and the film ends as it began with the destroyed shrine while commentary talks of Germans being "down there - but not for long."
Production Details: US Office of War Information (Production sponsor)
Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Realist (Production company)
Shaw, Alexander (Production individual)
Taylor, John Elston1914-10-051992-09-15 (Production individual)
Jeakins, A E (Production individual)
Alwyn, William (Production individual)
Cooper, Lester (Production individual)
Hardwicke, Cedric Webster (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Joan of Arc (person)
British Army (regiment/service)
United States Army (regiment/service)
Keywords: destruction, French military - area (object name)
equipment, Allied military - environmental: water purifying plant (object name)
operations, Allied military - routine (object name)
propaganda, Allied - inspirational (object name)
reconstruction, French (object name)
recreation, French civilian - sport: basketball (object name)
society, French - domestic (object name)
society, French - friendship (object name)
society, French - sustenance (object name)
supplies, Allied, movement [RA] - misc (object name)
Pont-à-Mousson, Meurthe-et-Moselle, France (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 1097 ft; Running time: 12 mins
