simone simon doesn not take the title role in mademoiselle fifi that dubious honour go to kurt krueger but it still her best role outside of the cat people film . a rare non horror credit for val lewton and it a well mount and surprisingly effective combination of two of guy de maupassant story about passive resistance in the franco prussian war that work a an effective ww2 propaganda piece . simon character may have be change from a plump prostitute to a petite laundress ( this be the 1940s and after all ) and but the first half and base on the story that inspire stagecoach and be still a remarkably effective adaptation that segue comfortably into the second story and link them both by a battle of will with the titular bore prussian officer who want the population to submit to his whim purely a a mark of obsequiousness . nicely direct by robert wise and it deserve to be much good know and it a shame that warner couldn not find a place for it on their val lewton box set and though edition montparnasse french dvd be an acceptable transfer .