It’s set “somewhere in Europe” (most likely Jean Renoir’s French occupied homeland). Charles Laughton plays Albert Lory, a timid and cowardly school teacher; his overbearing mom Emma (Una O’Connor) keeps him under her apron strings. He’s secretly in love with attractive fellow teacher Louise Martin (Maureen O’Hara). Albert fights his fears and struggles to get enough courage to do what’s right to protect freedom, something he wholeheartedly believes in, after talking with headmaster Sorel (Philip Merivale). George Lambert (George Sanders) is engaged to Louise, but ultimately turns out to be a collaborator who betrayed her Resistance fighter brother Paul (Kent Smith). The courageous Paul sabotaged a train and threw a bomb at German soldiers led by Major Von Keller (Walter Slezak). In reprisal, Von Keller arrests the brave headmaster Sorel and nine other hostages, threatening to shoot them if the bomber is not turned over to them. When Mrs. Lory’s son gets taken to Nazi headquarters, carrying in his pocket a pamphlet about Liberty, the panic-stricken mom tells turncoat George who is the bomber. Paul is killed by the Germans while trying to escape, and Louise blames Albert for ratting out her brother when he’s the only hostage released alive. George realizes his foul deeds and commits suicide, and Albert is arrested for his murder. In court, Albert gives a speech advocating sabotage and resistance to the fascist occupiers, and further denounces the collaborators for acting out of self-interest. The jury finds him not guilty. But later Albert is arrested by soldiers in the school when he continues to deliver to his students lectures on the virtues of liberty as he reads from the Declaration of the Rights of Man.