I remember watching at least part of the film as a child (too young to appreciate it at all), and seeing this scene particular later as an adult. It's intense, and as mentioned towards the end of this analysis, the actual words of the anthem are brutal. They're not singing "God save the king", but rather "we will water our fields with the blood of our enemies."
What I don't think I ever realized is that the film is from 1942. Pretty much every WWII film is from long after the war ended, but this was released early in the France occupation. That adds so much to its meaning and power.
What I don't think I ever realized is that the film is from 1942. Pretty much every WWII film is from long after the war ended, but this was released early in the France occupation. That adds so much to its meaning and power.