Resistance

[bohemian]

A recent movie about the French Resistance in World War 2.

 

Marcel Marceau, the famous mime artist, is played by Jesse Eisenberg and the film recounts Marceau’s exploits in the French Resistance where he was personally responsible for saving the lives of hundreds of Jewish children, (and indirectly of thousands of them!)

 

The Gestapo officer in charge, Klaus Barbie, was known as the “butcher of Lyon” and personally killed and tortured many prisoners both Jews and French resistance members.

 

The film is harrowing at times - the horrors of war - but so uplifting in Marceau’s efforts to save so many children.  He went on to become the most famous mime artist in the world, creating the character of Bip the Clown.

 

[Not in the movie, but it is interesting that after the war Barbie was recruited by the US intelligence and they helped him - along with the Catholic Church - to escape to Bolivia where he lived well until the coup in 1980’s - which he may have had a hand in - left him without protection and he was extradited to France and imprisoned until his death.]