An optimistic Vichy/German newsreel produced just before Stalingrad and Alamein is used as a basis for ironic British commentary following those events.

Opening titles explain that the newsreel was captured in North Africa; a British commentator introduces "France Actualits" (stressing its German origins); the audience is seeing "for the first time an enemy newsreel uncut and translated, literally, word for word". The theme of the newsreel (translated with a heavy "French" accent) is that 1942 is to be the year of decision for the Middle East; the Allied position is threatened in the North by the German advance in the Caucasus; in the West by Rommel's preparations for a new assault by the Afrika Korps; and in the East by incipient revolt in India. The British commentator interrupts, showing film of the Russian counter-offensive at Stalingrad, the British Alamein campaign, and Indian mobilisation for the Allied war effort to counteract each of the newsreel points. The end of the newsreel is followed by scenes of activities in North Africa itself; the Anglo-American landings and France's emergence as "an old ally reborn."

Notes

Cataloguing: a second copy (English track but Italian titles and on 2 reels) is also held as COI 286; the numbering of reels is a little confused. A nitrate negative track (identical to the English track, but spoken by an American) is also held.

Remarks: a good opportunity reasonably well handled - though the sarcasm is a little too heavy at times, and the claim to have left FRANCE ACTUALITS uncut is hard to believe (the Indian item is visually incomplete and the whole thing is too short). On release, the film attracted some criticism for attaching the adjective "invincible" to the enemy even ironically.