Continental Films / Continental-Films / France / French films / Occupation / 1940s

Continental-Films (also known as Continental) was a film production company financed and managed by the Germans at the time when France was under Nazi Occupation during World War II. The company was created in September 1940 by the Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels to give the Germans some control over the French film industry, as part of a strategy of suppressing French nationalism.

Under the direction of Alfred Greven, a former soldier and staunch Nazi, the company produced thirty full-length films between 1941 and 1944. Thanks to the considerable resources provided by the Germans and Greven’s insistence on engaging only the best artists and technicians in an attempt to rival the achievements of Hollywood, these films were generally of exceptional quality and include a number that are now regarded as classics of French cinema - notably Le Corbeau, La Main de diable, Cécile est morte and Au bonheur des dames. All but one of the films produced by Continental were recorded at Paris Studios Cinéma in Billancourt. Continental’s last film Les Caves du majestic was shot at Neuilly, rue du Château.

Despite the German censorship, some of these films do contain anti-Nazi messages and hint at covert support for the French resistance, perhaps the most blatant example being Maurice Tourneur’s Le Val d’enfer.

The list of directors who worked for Continental is truly impressive, including such names as: Henri-Georges Clouzot, André Cayatte, Maurice Tourneur and Christian-Jaque. Equally, the list of actors includes some of the most talented and popular performers of the day: Danielle Darrieux, Pierre Fresnay, Albert Préjean, Fernandel.

After the Liberation of France by the Allies in 1944, Continental was immediately wound up, the last film to be made being Les Caves du Majestic.

The most notable film to made by Continental was the psychological thriller Le Corbeau. This film acquired a reputation as Nazi propaganda and was banned straight after the Liberation; its director, H.G. Clouzot, was forbidden from making films for three years and its lead actor, Pierre Fresnay, was imprisoned for six months.

Despite the association with the Nazi Occupation, the films made by Continental constitute an integral part of French cinema history, and represent French filmmaking in the 1940s at its best.

Premier rendez-vous
Henri Decoin (1941)

Le Club des soupirants
Maurice Gleize (1941)

Danielle Darrieux, one of the most popular young actresses of her day, stars in this light romantic comedy, directed by her former husband Henri Decoin.
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Fernandel was already a huge star in France by the time he came to make this, his first film comedy for Continental.
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Le Dernier des six
Georges Lacombe (1941)

L’Assasssinat du Père Noël
Christian-Jaque (1941)

Pierre Fresnay and Suzy Delair make an unlikely crime-fighting duo in this slick comedy thriller, scripted by none other than H.G. Clouzot.
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Harry Baur stars in this compelling melange of fairy tale, romance, melodrama and suspense thriller - a dark yet beautiful film.
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Ne bougez-plus
Pierre Caron (1941)

Péchés de jeunesse
Maurice Tourneur (1941)

A lightweight comedy that is almost forgotten - not one of Continental’s biggest successes.
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Maurice Tourneur’s first film for Continental is this run-of-the-mill drama which features the great Harry Baur.
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Mam’zelle Bonaparte
Maurice Tourneur (1942)

Caprices
Léo Joannon (1942)

Edwige Feuillère and Raymond Rouleau star in this conventional drama, Maurice Tourneur’s second film for Continental.
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Danielle Darrieux and Albert Préjean make a memorable couple in this sparkling romantic comedy.
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Annette et la dame blonde
Jean Dréville (1942)

La Symphonie fantastique
Christian-Jaque (1942)

Jean Dréville’s only film for Continental was this slightly wooden romantic drama.
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Jean-Louis Barrault stars in this lavish historical drama which recounts the life of the great composer Hector Berlioz.
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Les Inconnus dans la maison
Henri Decoin (1942)

L’Assassin habite au 21
Henri-Georges Clouzot (1942)

Raimu gives a great performance in this dark, atmospheric adaptation of a Georges Simenon novel.
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Pierre Fresnay is teamed up with Suzy Delair once more in this classic comedy thriller, which includes some deliciously eccentric performances.
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La Fausse maîtresse
André Cayatte (1942)

Simplet
Fernandel and Carlo Rim (1942)

André Cayatte’s first film is so unlike the kind of film he is known for (crime-dramas). It is a light comedy, starring the delightful Danielle Darrieux.
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Comedy giant Fernandel makes his directorial debut with this enjoyable Provençal comedy.
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Défense d’aimer
Richard Pottier (1942)

Mariage d’Amour
Henri Decoin (1942)

Richard Pottier’s first film for Continental sees Suzy Delair paired with Paul Meurisse.
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Henri Decoin’s least memorable film for Continental, a melodrama starring François Périer and Paul Meurisse.
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Picpus
Richard Pottier (1943)

La Main du Diable
Maurice Tourneur (1943)

The first of three films made by Continental which see popular actor Albert Préjean in the role of the world-famous sleuth Maigret.
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Pierre Fresnay stars in one of the most memorable and disturbing of French fantasy films, inspired by a notorious German horror film.
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Vingt-cinq ans de bonheur
René Jayet (1943)

Au bonheur des dames
André Cayatte (1943)

A little-known comedy starring Denise Grey and Jean Tissier.
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Michel Simon, Albert Préjean and Suzy Prim star in this rather poignant drama, André Cayatte’s second film, made under very difficult circumstances.
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Le Val d’enfer
Maurice Tourneur (1943)

Le Corbeau
Henri-Georges Clouzot (1943)

This strikingly naturalistic drama features a great performance from Ginette Leclerc, and can be interpreted as an allegory for resistance to the Nazi Occupation.
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This "black diamond" of the Occupation is regarded as a masterpiece, the first of Clouzot’s great films and featuring a great performance from Pierre Fresnay.
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Mon amour est près de toi
Richard Pottier (1943)

La Ferme aux loups
Richard Pottier (1943)

Director Richard Pottier teams up with popular singer Tino Rossi in this humdrum comedy.
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This entertaining comedy-thriller sees Martine Carol in her first significant screen role.
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Adrien
Fernandel (1943)

Pierre et Jean
André Cayatte (1943)

Fernandel is on fine form in this entertaining screwball comedy, which he also directed.
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Renée Saint-Cyr stars in this early film melodrama from André Cayatte.
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Cécile est morte
Maurice Tourneur (1944)

La Vie de plaisir
Albert Valentin (1944)

Albert Préjean reprises the role of Maigret in this atmospheric thriller, which has more than a touch of film noir about it.
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Possibly the unluckiest French film ever! It was released just before the Liberation (May 1944), when powercuts were rife, only to be banned (for being anti-French) one month later.
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Les Caves du Majestic
Richard Pottier (1945)

Le Dernier sou
André Cayatte (1946)

For the third and final time, Albert Préjean plays the role of Maigret in this ingenious murder mystery.
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A lacklustre crime drama, one of André Cayatte’s least memorable films.
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Filmed in 1941
L’Assassinat du père Noël
Le Dernier des six
Premier rendez-vous
Le Club des soupirants
Péchés de jeunesse
Ne bougez plus
Caprices
Mam’zelle Bonaparte
Annette et la dame blonde
La Symphonie fantastique
Les Inconnus dans la maison

Filmed in 1942
Simplet
Mariage d’amour
La Fausse maîtresse
L’Assassin habite au 21
Défense d’aimer
La Main du Diable
Picpus

Filmed in 1943
Vingt-cinq ans de bonheur
Au bonheur des dames
Adrien
Le Corbeau
Mon amour est près de toi
Le Val d’enfer
La Ferme aux loups
Pierre et Jean
La Vie de plaisir
Le Dernier sou
Cécile est morte

Filmed in 1944
Les Caves du Majestic

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