{"id":5305,"date":"2008-02-16T13:36:04","date_gmt":"2008-02-16T20:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5305"},"modified":"2021-01-31T14:09:01","modified_gmt":"2021-01-31T21:09:01","slug":"first-comes-courage-1943","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5305","title":{"rendered":"First Comes Courage (1943)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;You know what I am to you? An international complication.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Poster-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-28579\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Poster-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Poster.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA WWII resistance fighter (Merle Oberon) has an affair with an unsuspecting German major (Carl Esmond), and is able to pass on vital information to the Norwegian underground. When Esmond&#8217;s superior becomes suspicious, however, a British agent (Brian Aherne) &#8212; formerly Oberon&#8217;s lover &#8212; is sent to assassinate Esmond.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Brian Aherne Films<\/li>\n<li>Dorothy Arzner Films<\/li>\n<li>Merle Oberon Films<\/li>\n<li>Nazis<\/li>\n<li>Resistance Fighters<\/li>\n<li>Spies<\/li>\n<li>World War II<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis rather pedestrian wartime melodrama is primarily notable as director Dorothy Arzner&#8217;s final feature film, yet it offers little that&#8217;s new or different to the genre; as noted so succinctly in the <em>New York Times<\/em>&#8216; original review, &#8220;Although the film does maintain a measure of suspense quite steadily, its authors and director have failed to stamp it with any distinction or depth of conviction to lift it above the level of a dozen similar mediocre war films.&#8221; Oberon is generally fine &#8212; and appropriately beautiful (if unconvincing as a Norwegian) &#8212; in the leading role (though she doesn&#8217;t know how to mime piano-playing for the life of her!):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Oberon2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Oberon2-1024x752.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"470\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67447\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Oberon2-1024x752.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Oberon2-300x220.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Oberon2-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Oberon2-768x564.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Oberon2-368x270.png 368w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Oberon2.png 1393w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Faring slightly better is Brian Aherne as her British lover, who at least brings some welcome energy to the proceedings. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne2-1024x745.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"466\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne2-1024x745.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne2-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne2-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne2-768x559.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne2-371x270.png 371w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne2.png 1397w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While one knows that all will (or should) work out in the end, there are at least a few tension-filled moments along the way &#8212; ultimately, however, <em>First Comes Courage<\/em> remains resolutely &#8220;ordinary&#8221;, and will only be of real interest to die-hard Arzner fans. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Brian Aherne as Captain Lowell<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne-1024x755.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"472\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne-1024x755.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne-128x94.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne-768x566.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne-366x270.png 366w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Aherne.png 1399w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Cinematography-1024x743.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"464\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-67449\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Cinematography-1024x743.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Cinematography-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Cinematography-128x93.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Cinematography-768x557.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Cinematography-372x270.png 372w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/02\/First-Comes-Courage-Cinematography.png 1405w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; I suspect the only reason this film is listed in Peary&#8217;s book is because it was directed by Arzner. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0035883\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1943\/09\/03\/archives\/at-loews-state.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;You know what I am to you? An international complication.&#8221; Synopsis: A WWII resistance fighter (Merle Oberon) has an affair with an unsuspecting German major (Carl Esmond), and is able to pass on vital information to the Norwegian underground. When Esmond&#8217;s superior becomes suspicious, however, a British agent (Brian Aherne) &#8212; formerly Oberon&#8217;s lover &#8212; is sent to assassinate Esmond. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Brian Aherne Films Dorothy Arzner Films Merle Oberon Films Nazis Resistance Fighters Spies World War&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5305\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5305"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67451,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5305\/revisions\/67451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}