Burning at Both Ends (film)

Burning at Both Ends (also known as Resistance 1942 in some territories) is a 2022 film set in Nazi occupied Vichy France, starring Cary Elwes, Jason Patric, Greer Grammer, Sebastian Roché and Judd Hirsch.

Plot
Resistance 1942 is a historical drama that tells the story of Jacques, a man who broadcasts messages of hope and resistance to the citizens of France during the Nazi occupation in 1942. As the Gestapo searches for him, Jacques and his daughter Juliette find help from Andre, a Swiss banker, who risks his life to aid them. The movie depicts the power of ordinary people to effect positive change in times of despair.

Cast

 * Cary Elwes as Jacques Christoffersen
 * Jason Patric as Andre Eerikäinen
 * Greer Grammer as Juliet
 * Sebastian Roché as Klaus Jager
 * Judd Hirsch as Bertrand
 * Gilles Marini as Inspector Gerald Rousseau
 * Mira Furlan as Agnes
 * Don Harvey as Freidrich

Production
The script was prize winning at the Movieguide Awards in 2014. Elwes was originally announced be to starring alongside Matthew Modine when the production was revealed by Slingshot Productions in Los Angeles in March 2017, with filming expected to begin that spring. Judd Hirsch and Greer Grammar were also cast in March 2017.

Release
The picture was made available for digital download in the UK from January 10, 2022.

Reception
In a review entitled "Jason Patric smuggles quality into worthy war tale", The Guardian said the film had "the kernel of a good idea" but the "timid film fails to fully capitalise on [the] uncomfortable scenario and misses opportunities elsewhere, instead going big on self-satisfied pieties about fighting the just fight." The performance of Patric as the morally ambiguous Andre is praised compared to Elwes "oddly detached" performance.