Wise Watch: Mademoiselle Fifi (1944)

Watched: 01/21/2026

Format:  YouTube

Viewing:  First

Director:  Robert Wise

Our viewing of movies by Robert Wise continues with Mademoiselle Fifi, a 1944 movie, made during the darker days of World War II, using the Franco-Prussian War as a wispy-thin analog for the German occupation of France and a clear show of support for the French Resistance.  

This is Wise's first solo directorial effort, but you'd never know.  The movie seems assured of the handling of actors as it does of camera management and tone.  

The movie is intended as an odd propaganda - yes, stateside it would be seen as pro-French Resistance, but also would have informed Americans of what it means to be occupied, and how those under the bootheel may react in ways noble, practical and cowardly.  And, that some may not see much different day-to-day, or take advantage of cozying up to the occupiers.  I cannot assume this would have been very comfortable for movie go-ers who may have wanted to have less nuanced takes on the occupation.

The movie is essentially two halves, adapted from two short stories sharing a few characters, such as star Simone Simon as Elizabeth.  We meet Elizabeth as she joins a carriage ride to her hometown.  She's a laundress and seen as beneath the other travellers.  During the ride, she's able to feed all aboard and build a sense of camaraderie.  

However, a young officer waylays the party at their overnight stop, halting their progress, until Elizabeth agrees to dine with him.  She refuses, and is supported by the passengers for a day, but as their own business needs take over, they pressure her to dine with the officer and compromise her principles.  

The titular Mademoiselle Fifi is a name given to the effete Prussian officer due to his use of a Prussian phrase that sounds like "Fifi".

SPOILERS

After Elizabeth's sacrificed her principles for the benefit of the party, with a few words from the officer suggesting friendship with them, the group looks down on Elizabeth and go back to treating their hero poorly for inconveniencing them.  

It's... harsh, and dark and terribly real.  

The second half is about Elizabeth returning to her hometown where once again she's pulled into entertaining the officer - but this time she murders him with a steak knife.  It is wildly gratifying to watch.

Wise does a phenomenal job of handling the power dynamics, overt and subtle in the film.  Who has power and why they have it is...  relevant.

Anyway, I was genuinely surprised by the movie.  I had no idea what it would be when I turned it on, and to see a movie appealing to nobler notions of not bending the knee, of resisting, of the futility of conquering others was a fascinating thing to see now, and it's surprising the movie got no traction with its release in 1944.  Perhaps people were simply too tired.  But the movie deserves a review and reconsideration.  

Val Lewton, known most for producing horror movies at RKO was the producer here - and it will explain both how he tapped Robert Wise for a directorial effort and the casting of Simone Simon as the lead.  

And that's the joy of doing something like "hey, let's watch every film by Robert Wise" - it's seeing movies I wouldn't have otherwise seen.