The Eye of Vichy (1993)

Synopsis: This compilation of French- and Nazi-produced newsreel footage documents France's collaboration with Nazi Germany during WWII, including the invasion of France and General Petain's pact with Adolf... This compilation of French- and Nazi-produced newsreel footage documents France's collaboration with Nazi Germany during WWII, including the invasion of France and General Petain's pact with Adolf Hitler. Compiled by French master filmmaker Claude Chabrol, this chilling and fascinating documentary presents never-before-seen footage that brutally and ironically exposes the huge role that the French Vichy government had in helping the Nazis exterminate French Jews. The footage also shows just how far Vichy leaders went to convince the citizens of France to side with Germany during the war. Chabrol crafts a sly and shocking counterpoint between the actual historical narrative of France's actions under German occupation and the propaganda produced during the time, playing image against narration to achieve a devastating irony. Chabrol, whose 1988 film STORY OF WOMEN depicted a Frenchwoman's struggle during the Vichy era, returns to the subject and provides a voluminous and articulate portrayal of the moral and physical chaos that gripped Paris during its occupation and the horrible ramifications that ensued. [More]

Director: Claude Chabrol

Director: Claude Chabrol