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.
Duplicate scene appearing here at 04:22 in RG-60.1466 at 06:18. Part of 111 ADC 2213 from the National Archives.
(INV 1481) Slate reading"Marthey - 3 Pari" 00:04 Back view of three soldiers wearing helmets watching Army vehicles drive. Cars driving in street with some civilians. 00:20 American soldier, officer, and French soldier leaning over to examine documents (map?). Some civilians attempt to look also. 00:32 Red Cross workers speak to soldier in jeep. Soldier smoking cigarette. Street with Army vehicle driving through. A man across the street stands under a"phot" store sign waves to soldiers driving by. A British flag on the upper left corner. Street scene. 00:50 Army vehicle with a soldier holding an American flag driving down the street (US Forces enter Paris). Onlookers wave. 01:09 Slate reads"Special Coverage Unit, 8/25, R-9, K. Marthey SPX" HAS of a crowd gathering around two cars. Eiffel Tower. Writing on a building reads"Suyon Tailleu". 01:20 Smoke coming from the third or fourth floor of a building. Sign reads"Dumesni". Soldiers shooting across the street. 01:40 German military governor of Paris, Dietrich von Choltitz, meets with and surrenders to French resistance (25 August 1944). Dietrich von Choltitz steps out of vehicle and walks down the street. Dietrich von Choltitz sits down at an outdoor table at which Lt Gen Jacques Leclerc stands. They wait as other soldiers talk amongst themselves. von Choltitz walks away from the table. 02:14 Slate in handwriting"Marthey R-5 Pari" and in stencil"Tire Pressure 35 Lbs" Soldiers driving down the street through cheering crowds. 02:25 French flag waving. 02:31 Soldiers replacing a tire on general's jeep while civilians watch. Soldiers drive away down the street. One soldier in the car is holding a map. 02:59 CU on one soldier sitting in the car and waving to the crowds, holding up two fingers. 03:18 Army vehicle with an American flag spread on its rear driving down the street. 03:21 Eiffel Tower. Soldiers driving down the street, this time holding up the American flag. 03:35 Various shots of Eiffel Tower, from top to bottom. Some people gathered around an American Army car. An American flag waving. Larger crowd forms; cheering. 04:22 Handwriting in white on a shoe:"Marthey R" Wide shot of street. Dark car slowly drives left to right. Two soldiers driving in a car on the pontoon bridge into Paris. 05:07 Slate reads"Special Coverage Unit, 8/23, R-3, K. Marthey SPX" A few parked army cars. Civilians slowly walking around. 05:19 American Army car driving down the street to cheering crowds. Painted on bumper:"ASC " and"SPECOU ". Many French flags waving from buildings or held up by onlookers. 05:41 Two women coming from the left and right side hug and kiss soldiers sitting in a parked car. Another woman approaches to kiss the soldier on the cheek and pats him on the back before he drives away. Soldier shows"" peace sign with two fingers.
American entry into Paris