Arch of Triumph

Despite featuring one of my favourite actors - Charles Laughton ("Haake"), Ingrid Bergman manages to drag this wartime drama down to an almost soporific pace as her character "Joan" is rescued from almost certain suicide by compassionate Czech doctor "Ravic" (Charles Boyer). Both are refugees fleeing the rise of the Nazis in Eastern Europe. She has what can only be described as a bit of a chequered past and the two now embark on what I felt to be rather a disjoined romance that didn't really convince me. When he is apprehended by the police - without papers, she takes up with a wealthy person and the intrigue rather loses it's way. Laughton is better as the brutal Nazi sophisticate upon whom "Ravic" intends revenge - but he features quite sparingly as the narrative ploddingly meanders towards a rather predictable conclusion. It must be said, though, that this is a really good looking film. Lewis Milestone and cinematographer Russell Metty really do create a seamy and gritty pre-war Paris - especially as their new occupiers move in, and life becomes extremely perilous for these two escapees. At times it is compelling and exciting, but for the most part it just burbles along providing little more than a vehicle for two stars who didn't really gel and for a third we don't see enough of.