A Matter of Resistance

In May 1944, Jérôme lives with his widowed mother and his young wife Marie at a crumbling château on the Normandy coast. Marie dreams of glamour and Paris, while Jérôme prefers the quiet comforts of country life. Their peaceful routine is about to be disrupted by war.

A stranger named Julien begins to snoop around the estate. He is a Free French officer who liaises with Dimanche, the local Resistance leader, to survey German fortifications ahead of the Allied landings. His presence unsettles Marie, who senses an opportunity but also danger.

On the cliff outside the château, a huge German naval gun dominates the landscape in an impenetrable blockhouse. Julien deduces that the fortress will have to be taken from behind by parachutists during the invasion. The plan sets the stage for a dangerous mission.

German reinforcements arrive and their commander, Klopstock, is billeted at the château. He instantly falls in love with Marie, while Julien is introduced to him as Marie's brother to hide the truth. Tensions rise as loyalties blur.

Klopstock discovers Marie and Julien kissing after dinner and tries to intervene with force, but Marie and Julien knock him out with a billiard cue and flee into the night. The Germans set off in pursuit, tightening the noose around the house. The family prepares to escape under cover of confusion.

Klopstock locks Jérôme and his mother in the cellar and sets off after the fugitives with the guard detail. When Dimanche returns to the château, he is imprisoned as well. The estate falls under a tense, temporary occupation.

Jérôme escapes the cellar, retrieves a hidden shotgun, and begins freeing the guards once more. He quietly overpowers the remaining sentries and unlocks the way for the others. The mild, unassuming man reveals a steely resolve in the face of danger.

Dimanche explains that American paratroopers will be dropped that night and must be guided to the back of the blockhouse. Jérôme warns that the landing zone has been covered with stakes to thwart the assault. They prepare to guide the airborne force, risking discovery and capture.

As Allied aircraft darken the night sky, the group pulls up the stakes protecting the landing zone. They manage to lead the Americans toward the blockhouse, but a searchlight sweeps the perimeter and they are forced to retreat. Jérôme distracts the German defenders by speaking in a disjointed tone, then throws a grenade to knock out the light.

The Americans storm the blockhouse and Marie finally reunites with Jérôme. Encouraged by this success, Jérôme and Marie decide to join the Resistance and work with the liberators. Julien's deception comes to light, and he faces disciplinary proceedings for failing in his duty.

Shells from Allied ships demolish much of the château, transforming the estate into a battlefield ruin. The couple's wartime actions reinforce their commitment to the Resistance. The destruction foreshadows a broader upheaval as the Allies push inland.

Jérôme and Marie, now seasoned by war, join the local Resistance and travel with Allied liberators into Paris. The city's liberation signals a new life beyond the coast and the cliffside fortifications. Their earlier fear becomes courage as they join the fight for freedom.

Julien faces disciplinary proceedings for neglecting his duty in pursuit of a pretty face. The incident underscores the theme of personal compromise under wartime pressure. His fate contrasts with Jérôme's steadfast courage throughout the night.