Le Franciscain de Bourges (1968) - film review

Previously a Franciscan monk, Alfred Stanke is now a corporal in the German army.  He works as a nurse in a prison at Bourges, where several members of the French resistance are being detained.  The latter include Yves Toledano, who was caught red-handed spying on a German airbase.   Tortured by his captors, who include the sadistic Basedow, Yves betrays his brother Marc, who is tortured in his turn.  The brothers’ wounds are carefully tended to by Alfred, who does what he can to give them the strength to go on living.    Alfred is equally preoccupied with two other young prisoners - Serge and Jean-Pierre, who are respectively 16 and 17 years old.  He tries to console them by talking about God and the life that is to come, without trying to convince them.   Alfred’s faith is put to the test when his two young protégés are taken away to be executed and he fails to save the life of another wounded prisoner.  Disgusted by what he sees of the war, Alfred becomes inclined to lend his support to the resistance, at the risk of his own life...
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium)

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