George Stevens (December 18, 1904 – March 8, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer. During World War II, Stevens joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps and headed a film unit from 1943 to 1946 under General Eisenhower. His unit shot footage documenting D-Day — including the only Allied European Front color film of the war — the liberation of Paris and the meeting of American and Soviet forces at the Elbe River, as well as horrific scenes from the Duben labor camp and the Dachau concentration camp. Stevens also helped prepare the Duben and Dachau footage and other material for presentation during the Nuremberg Trials. In 2008, his footage was entered into the U.S. National Film Registry by the Librarian of Congress as an"essential visual recor" of World War II. The Special Coverage Unit (SPECOU) was placed under the control of the Supreme Headquarters' Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). The SPECOU consists of 45 people: writers like Ivan Moffat, William Saroyan and Irwin Shaw; cameramen like Dick Hoar, Ken Marthey, William Mellor, Jack Muth; sound operators as Bill Hamilton, who comes from Columbia, assistant directors, as Holly Morse, who has worked with Hal Roach.
Stevens digging foxhole with another man. Men eating dinner on camp tables with tin cups. VS of unidentified men in the camp. Gag shot: Sign reads:"Bridge ahead under fire" Stevens seated in jeep turns toward camera and motions forward. Jeep and trucks drive off. Shot of vehicle coming toward camera in late afternoon light with bombed buildings on either side of country road and troops on foot. French civilians walking. Jeep follows. Reverse angle with Red Cross truck and severely bombed village. Shot on dusty road. Shot of jeep at waterfront area, most likely Cherbourg, France. Pan of church, Stevens and Captain Mellor walking out of church. Crowd in front of building with French flag flying. CU of camera crew. Camera crew setting up on balcony behind US flag. Sign reads:"Caen 18kms, Paris 240 kms" Stevens and others walking down street with young French boy, Captain Bill Mellor also present. Officers are discussing something in front of an obelisk, French civilian planting flowers in BG.
Liberation of French town; civilians; church