Stories of the underground resistance movement in various wars have long been popular. When I think of resistance movies, though, I most usually think of those that portray resistance to Axis forces during World War II, particularly those set in France and centered around underground activities.
As far as I’m concerned, Casablanca is the quintessential resistance film. But as much as I wish it were so, noir seems to be going too far. Nevertheless, not to be deterred, I turned to Google, where I searched for Casablanca and film noir. I learned the following:
- If noir is about style, there is some noir style to the film, especially in the handling of light and darkness in the final moments.
- If noir is about crime, there is crime in the film, though it’s centered on resistance to Nazi oppression.
- Doomed romance is a part of noir melodrama, and it’s in the film to be sure.
- But …. there’s too much determination, too much hope to call it noir.
Still hoping I could make it fit, I turned to Chat GPT, using this prompt: “I do wonder if there’s any way to fit Casablanca into a category containing film noir movies about resistance. It’s certainly a resistance film and I’ve read that it has noir characteristics. Is it too much of a stretch?”
This is what the always accommodating Chat GPT had to say:
That’s a very insightful question—and no, it’s not too much of a stretch at all. In fact, many film scholars consider Casablanca (1942) to be noir-adjacent, even if it isn’t a classic noir in the strictest sense. Here’s how it does and doesn’t fit into your category:
✅ Why Casablanca Fits
Resistance Themes:
- The plot revolves around Victor Laszlo, a Czech Resistance leader, and the underground struggle against the Nazis.
- The setting—Vichy-controlled Casablanca—is steeped in corruption, betrayal, and secret alliances.
Noir Characteristics Present:
- Moral Ambiguity: Rick Blaine (Bogart) is the archetype of the disillusioned noir anti-hero—cynical, detached, and nursing personal wounds.
- Shadowy Visuals: The use of deep focus, heavy chiaroscuro lighting, and smoke-filled rooms shares visual DNA with noir.
- Fatalism and Sacrifice: Rick’s ultimate decision involves giving up personal happiness for a cause larger than himself—classic noir fatalism.
Underground Activity: While the French Resistance isn’t the centerpiece, the film depicts a nexus of espionage, smuggling, and covert resistance operations—just shifted to North Africa.
❌ Why Casablanca Isn’t Pure Noir
- Tone: The ending, while bittersweet, is ultimately hopeful and patriotic—far from the bleak conclusions of most noir.
- Structure: It’s a romantic melodrama with noir flavor, rather than a crime or mystery narrative.
- Setting: Not set in Occupied France, though it’s an exile hub for European Resistance figures.
🧩 Verdict: Honorable Mention
Casablanca absolutely belongs on the fringes of your list—maybe as an honorary member.
If your list had a “resistance noir honorable mentions” section, Casablanca would be first on it.
Film Noir Movies About Resistance
World War I
Nurse Edith Cavell (1939: YouTube). Here is the YouTube blurb about the movie: “British nurse Edith Cavell is stationed at a hospital in Brussels during World War I. When the son of a former patient escapes from a German prisoner-of-war camp, she helps him flee to Holland. Outraged at the number of soldiers detained in the camps, Edith, along with a group of sympathizers, devises a plan to help the prisoners escape. As the group works to free the soldiers, Edith must keep her activities secret from the Germans.”
Prelude to World War II
Behind The Rising Sun (1941: YouTube) – In Japan, in the prelude to WW2, foreigners and their Japanese friends are caught up in the rising tide of militarism.
Underground (1941: YouTube) – Two brothers are torn apart when they end up on opposite sides during World War II. One gets caught up in Hitler’s National Socialist movement and becomes a Nazi officer. Meanwhile, the other becomes a selfless member of the Resistance.
Bombs Over Burma (1942: Tubi) A Chinese teacher joins the battle against the Japanese and is expected to spy for her country by the government.
Above Suspicion (1943: Prime Video, Apple TV+, and others) – Just before World War II, distinguished professor Richard Myles (Fred MacMurray) and his lovely bride, Frances (Joan Crawford), prepare to leave Oxford for a relaxing honeymoon in the German countryside. But when the British secret service catches wind of their plans, the couple is unwittingly inducted into the dangerous world of espionage.
Confidential Agent (1945: Amazon Video, Apple TV) – In this adaptation of the Graham Greene novel, set during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, Luis Denard (Charles Boyer) is a Spanish secret agent on a counter-fascist mission to London. He is endeavoring to keep British merchants from selling fuel supplies to enemy factions. Lauren Bacall also stars.
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Chat GPT Recommendations
Set in France / Focused on the French Resistance
These films lean noir in tone and style, and deal directly with French underground resistance. Many were made in France.
Army of Shadows (1969, France: Prime Video, Apple TV+, and others ) – This adaptation of the book by Joseph Kessel paints an understated, unglamorous portrait of the French Resistance during World World II. Its strong noir aesthetics take a grim, methodical look at the French Resistance through the eyes of a resistance leader. This is said to be an essential film in this category.
Le Silence de la Mer (1949, France: YouTube) – In this quiet resistance film with noir tones, an elderly Frenchman and his niece are forced to give shelter to a Nazi soldier who seemingly loves their country and culture. The film is stark, morally ambiguous, and atmospheric.
Is Paris Burning? (1966, France/USA: Apple TV) – This film is a war epic, but certain segments have noir characteristics. It’s the story of the French Resistance during the liberation of Paris. While not strictly noir, the segments featuring sabotage, betrayal, and shadowy meetings evoke noir tropes.
Film Noir or Noir-Adjacent with Resistance Themes
While not all are strictly set in France, they incorporate underground activity and noir stylistics.
Ministry of Fear (1944: Internet Archive, Tubi) – In this espionage noir thriller, a man gets entangled in Nazi spy plots in England after being released from an asylum. A shadowy world of espionage, paranoia, and moral ambiguity, Fritz Lang’s noir style is palpable.
Hangmen Also Die! (1943: Tubi and others) – Another Fritz Lang noir-influenced war thriller. Based loosely on the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, this film focuses on Czech resistance. The script is by Bertolt Brecht, and there are noir visuals as well as themes of betrayal and covert resistance.
Cornered (1945: Internet Archive) – In this noir thriller, a Canadian ex-POW hunts down the Nazi collaborators responsible for his wife’s death in the French Resistance. The film is a revenge-driven noir narrative with post-war shadows and a Resistance backstory.
The Stranger (1946: YouTube) – This film noir, directed by Orson Welles, is the story of a war crimes investigator who hunts a Nazi fugitive in an American town. While not set in France, the shadow of World War II resistance and moral reckoning lingers heavily.
Other
These are not pure noir, but contain noir elements and focus on resistance in France:
Paris Underground (1945: YouTube) – In this film, two women operate an escape line in Nazi-occupied Paris. The movie has suspense and tension aligned with noir sensibilities.
Un Condamné à Mort s’est Échappé [A Man Escaped] (1956: Internet Archive) – In a film based on the writings of French Resistance fighter and POW André Devigny, Fontaine (François Leterrier) is being held by the Nazis at Fort Montluc. When he gets word that he’s scheduled for execution, Fontaine channels his energy into hatching a plan to break out. While minimalist and not traditionally noir, it has a stark moral universe, evoking noir’s existential edge.
Here’s hoping these 15 films will keep you busy for a while. Turn on your streaming device, put your feet up, and stay cool!
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Photo by Breve Storia del Cinema (Flickr)
