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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1935
Runtime1h 20m
LanguageFrench
CertificationNR
GenresWar, Drama
Votes1
DirectorMarcel L'Herbier
WritersMarcel L'Herbier, Charles Spaak
TypeFeature Film
Rating8.0 out of 10
Cast10 credited
Also Known AsSacrifice of Honor
About Sacrifice of Honor
Before the Battle is the English-language title of this espionage melodrama. The first half of the film takes place aboard a French cruising ship, steaming through dangerous waters during WWI. Among the passengers is heroine Jeanne (Annabella), who was once in love with first-officer D'Artelles (Robert Vidalin) but he now seems strangely preoccupied. It turns out that the ship is on a secret mission, which ultimately dooms the vessel to a Lusitania-like death. After the sinking, Captain De Corlaix (Victor Francen) faces a court-martial, and it is at this point that the film clarifies several baffling plot points. Despite its complexity, the story is fairly believable, with the exception of the grafted-on romantic subplot.
Directed by Marcel L'Herbier, Sacrifice of Honor leans on a strong ensemble — Annabella, Victor Francen, Gabriel Signoret — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about war titles of 1935.
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