This Was Paris

Set in occupied Paris during the Second World War, this drama follows a small circle of British operatives and civilians as they carry out intelligence work under constant threat. Ann Morgan, a woman caught up in the city’s hush of suspicion, crosses paths with Captain Bill Hamilton and a pragmatic reporter known as Butch. Their plans require careful deception, forged identities and risky meetings in shadowed streets. Tension builds through close calls and uneasy alliances, and the film keeps focus on the day to day strain of living and working where loyalty can be a fatal mistake, avoiding any major plot revelations.

Released in 1942, the film was directed by John Harlow with a screenplay credited to Edward Dryhurst, Basil Woon and Gordon Wellesley. The cast includes Ann Dvorak as Ann Morgan, Ben Lyon as the Sydney Chronicle reporter Butch, Griffith Jones as Capt. Bill Hamilton, Robert Morley and Harold Huth in supporting parts, making it a wartime British production with some transatlantic talent.

Commercial records for wartime films are often incomplete, and This Was Paris did not leave widely reported box office figures. It played for British audiences during an era when distribution was constrained by the conflict, so its financial footprint stayed modest compared with peacetime releases.

Though not a household name today, the movie captures a particular wartime mood and contributed to how occupied Europe was portrayed in English-language cinema. It’s of interest to students of wartime film for its settings and the way it stages quiet suspense rather than large-scale action. Robert Morley’s presence is a point of curiosity for fans tracking his early roles.

Critical response has been mixed, reflected in a modest modern rating of 5.5 out of 10 from a small number of votes. Viewers and reviewers note the film’s focus on espionage, loyalty and moral ambiguity, and many point to strong individual performances even when the pacing or plotting feels uneven.