Arch of Triumph (1948)

Multiplicity of Roles

In this drama set in pre-WWII France, the Arc de Triomphe serves as a cinematic backdrop and spectator to the churning machinations of the refugees, civilians, and military officials vying for survival in its midst.

The story begins in 1938, one year before France joined the war against "The Axis of Evil". Our hero, Dr. Ravic, played by Charles Boyer, is a German refugee that befriends Joan Madou, a young woman cast adrift by her lover’s sudden death. Joan, played by Ingrid Bergman, is a romantic and pines after simpler times. While their romance unfolds Ravic succeeds in advancing the Allies' interests by tracking, tricking, and murdering the SS officer named Haake that had orchestrated his (and hundreds of others') torture in Germany. Tragically, Ravic's murderous intrigues so completely captivate his attention that he fails to resolve his relationship problems with Joan, who ultimately perishes at the hands of another suitor.


OPENING CREDITS : LOCATION, PATRIOTISM, SACRIFICE

Director Lewis Milestone opens the film with a dead-on view of the Arc de Triomphe. As the opening credits roll, the camera gazes up at the dramatically back-lit arch. Rays of light appear to emanate from the arch itself, heightening the power of the imagery. As the credits begin to wane, the camera fades to a slowly rotating aerial view of the arch. From this view, we learn our story’s precise location: Paris, France, which is further confirme d by the narrator who adds “…it is the winter of 1938, one year before the beginning of the second world war. When Paris was still an island of light in the darkness of Europe.”

The movie’s deeply patriotic undertone is further emphasized by a view of the eternal flame situated underneath the Arc de Triomphe at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. In the background, a bugle plays a short refrain from the French National anthem, and the director has primed the audien ce for a patriotic story of self-sacrifice.

Significantly, our first glimpse of Ravic is of him strolling past the arch, which is shown looming darkly behind him. The narrator informs us that Paris is home to many refugees of the war, and we can see their frustration in Ravic’s body language.

Already, within the movie’s first two minutes, the director has demonstrated the versatility of the arch as a thematic device. He has used the arch to transport us to Paris, connected the arch to the patriotism of the French (and Allied forces), and reminded us of the stoic suffering of the citizens of Europe (as personified by o ur protagonist, Ravic).


HUNTING HAAKE : PSYCHOLOGICAL PASSAGE



Living as a refugee has splintered Ravic’s life. Cut off from mainstream society, Ravic lives under the constant threat of deportation, and survives by practicing his profession (medicine) illegally. Having been caught and deported from France several times, Ravic knows it is only a matter of time before he is caught again and is all too aware of the dangers of illegal border crossing.

Living like an invisible man, without an identity and without hope, Ravic has developed an unhealthy obsession with the idea of finding and ‘neutralizing’ his old Nazi enemy, Haake.

But then he met Joan. She is young, idealistic, willful, and needy. Before Joan, Ravic’s obsession with Haake had been nearly all-encompassing; as his romance with Joan intensifies Ravic experiences a change of heart and psychological state. Again, the arch is used to mark a key moment in the film.

The scene begins with Ravic and Joan enjoying a late dinner at a Parisian café. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Haake appears. Ravic is in an instant panic; Haake has not seen him. It is the opportunity that Ravic has been hoping for. Joan, completely unaware of Ravic’s murderous obsession is confused and ala rmed at Ravic’s odd behavior. Unmoved by Joan’s pleas to be taken in his confidence, Ravic sends Joan home and begins roaming the streets in a near frenetic state, stalking his torturer, armed with a gun in his pocket (00:51:00).

But as the night wears on, Ravic’s mood begins to change. Exhausted and despondent, he passes by the arch and soon finds himself outside of Joan’s hotel. The clerk tells him that Joan is insisting on keeping the lights on for fear of the dark. And then it happens; the blood-lust that had clouded his mind lifts, his love for Joan has brought him back to himself. He dashes up to her room and embraces her. With Joan in his life, Ravic has found a reason to dream of better days. The arch symbolically marks Ravic’s passage from a man focused on the past to a man hoping for a future.


DRIVING PAST THE ARCH : INTENSIFIER, HISTORIC REFERENCE



However their happiness is short lived. As feared, Ravic is caught by the police and deported again. After three months without any communication from Ravic, Joan moves on and becomes romantically involved with another man. When Ravic returns and learns of Joan’s infidelity he is heartbroken and soon returns to his old intrigues.

On a chance encounter, Haake identifies Ravic as a fellow German and attempts to befriend him. Haake mentions that he will be returning to Germany soon. Seeing his opportunity, Ravic masks his hatred and invites Haake out for a night on the town. As they drive past the Arc de Triomphe Haake says, "I will not see Paris again, until I through this Arch of Triumph … march!"; in his inebriated state, Haake does not notice Ravic's wince. Haake believes that Germany will triumph over the Allies (and mark their victory over France with a march through the Arc de Triomphe).

Haake’s outburst spurs Ravic on his murderous path. Ravic’s identity and patriotism are so entwined with the arch, that Haake’s vision intensifies his hatred of Haake and cements his resolve. From this moment on, Ravic will do whatever he has to do to ensure Haake will never march through that arch. Cinematically, the arch succeeds in serving multiple functions; it is a stage prop, a scene intensifier, and a call to patriotism and self-sacrifice.


END CREDITS : STATELY PATRIOTISM



Ravic succeeds in killing Haake, but his blood-haze renders him incapable of aiding the woman he loves. Joan soon dies at the hands of another lover. Released only 3 years after the end of WWII, The Arch of Triumph reflect’s the deep French (and American) patriotism that pervaded those times. Thus Joan’s death is a tragic reminder of the sacrifices so recently endured by the audience.

At the end of the movie, Ravic again encounters the police. He has the opportunity to turn and run, but instead he gives himself up, presumably to be shipped to the nearest concentration camp. As he advances towards the front of the line, the shadow of a chain-linked fence is cast on his face. We are reminded of those haunting images of hollowed out men, penned behind fences of concentration camps.

However Ravic’s attitude is that of a strong and proud man, in command of his own destiny. As we bid a fond adieu to Ravic, France's national anthem begins to play and we are treated to one last look at the Arc de Triomphe. It is gloriously back-lit and as proud and grand as our hero.