During the Franco-Prussian war a French laundry worker (Simone Simon) shares a carriage with some rich and powerful French people. They are stopped by a Prussian officer (Kurt Kreuger) who wants to have dinner with the laundry lady but she refuses to compromise her principles. In doing so she exposes patriotism against self interest. This is quite wordy and philosophical but is effective thanks to the tight direction of Robert Wise and Val Lewton's production. There is a good performance from Simone Simon as the working class woman prepared to pay the price for standing up for her principles. The film is based on the novel by Guy de Maupassant and the person of the title is actually the Prussian officer
3/5 
Simone Simon
John Emery
Alan Napier
Helen Freeman
Norma Varden
Fay Helm
Charles Waldron