I usually cringe when the term 'propaganda' is used to describe a film, like so many reviewers do here for "This Land is Mine". When used in a negative connotation, the word implies information delivered in a biased or misleading way. I didn't find anything misleading in the way the story came around to defend an individual and community's right to stand up for themselves against bigotry and oppression. If anything, the propaganda would have been supplied by Nazi Major von Keller (Walter Slezak), insinuating that things would be hunky-dory under German rule if the citizens of the occupied town would go along to get along. Eventually, even collaborator George Lambert (George Sanders) couldn't reconcile himself to the German message, committing suicide after stating that "If there's anything I can't stand it's hypocrisy". If one's being hypocritical and trying to be honest at the same time, something has to give.
As usual, Charles Laughton is a wonder to behold in this film. His impassioned court speech is delivered with just the right nuance and emotion guaranteeing a non-guilty verdict for the murder of Lambert, but I didn't find it so convincing that the jury wouldn't even break for deliberation before delivering that message. What was up with that? That's about the time the prosecuting attorney should have really stood up to object. Even the judge looked stunned by the verdict, though you could see he was moved during Albert Lory's (Laughton) finely delivered speech.
The only thing I might have changed if I was directing this picture was the character of Mrs. Lory (Una O'Connor). My God, she was an absolute lunatic. I doubled over during that scene when son Albert grabbed her by the hand to run across the rail yard and she moved like a sprinter doing a hundred yard dash. Laughton's character looked pretty nimble footed too, which doubtless suggests both were replaced by stunt persons for that scene. Upon completion of that bit of exercise, Mrs. Lory was back to using her cane to stand up. For director Jean Renoir, that was undoubtedly an unforced error.
As usual, Charles Laughton is a wonder to behold in this film. His impassioned court speech is delivered with just the right nuance and emotion guaranteeing a non-guilty verdict for the murder of Lambert, but I didn't find it so convincing that the jury wouldn't even break for deliberation before delivering that message. What was up with that? That's about the time the prosecuting attorney should have really stood up to object. Even the judge looked stunned by the verdict, though you could see he was moved during Albert Lory's (Laughton) finely delivered speech.
The only thing I might have changed if I was directing this picture was the character of Mrs. Lory (Una O'Connor). My God, she was an absolute lunatic. I doubled over during that scene when son Albert grabbed her by the hand to run across the rail yard and she moved like a sprinter doing a hundred yard dash. Laughton's character looked pretty nimble footed too, which doubtless suggests both were replaced by stunt persons for that scene. Upon completion of that bit of exercise, Mrs. Lory was back to using her cane to stand up. For director Jean Renoir, that was undoubtedly an unforced error.