This was the fourth out of six Paramount films for which Billy Wilder received a screenplay credit (he actually worked without credit on as many again) and the third of the six (after Bluebeard's Eighth Wife and Midnight) to star Claudette Colbert but whilst the first two were out- and-out comedies Arise, My Love is a fine blend of drama and romantic comedy set against the outbreak of World War 11 and shot just as Paris fell to the Germans in 1940. Another difference between the first two films is that in both Colbert had sterling support from the likes of David Niven, Edward Everett Horton, John Barrymore, Mary Astor whilst here, she and co-star Ray Milland carry the bulk of the plot with Walter Abel sharing a handful of scenes. Although Wilder was unhappy with Mitchell Liesens' directing - he helmed several Wilder screenplays - and claimed that Liesen was the reason he fought to direct his own screenplays the fact is that Leisen makes a fairly decent fist of a fine screenplay and coaxes excellent performances out of the two stars.
Review of Arise, My Love
