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.
Possibly part of 111 ADC 2207 documenting the liberation of Montargis, France, 23-8-44 from the National Archives.
(INV1452) Various shots of large crowds waving to camera. 00:30 Some French soldiers try to clear the crowd to make a path on the road. 00:36 A man holds up a piece of paper. 00:43 Wider shot of crowd. 00:52 American Army car drives through the crowds. 00:54 CU on two female onlookers and then the rest of the crowd. 01:06 Very wide shot, view of the crowd filling the road. 01:08 Civilians approach soldiers sitting and standing around a car and shake their hands. 01:14 MS of the two soldiers sitting in the car. One is smoking a cigarette, the other one is facing away from the camera. 01:17 A soldier shakes hands with a young boy. 01:27 A man and woman in crowd kiss, people around them laugh and cheer. 01:31 A man in the crowd drinks wine from a glass cup. 01:51 Wine bottle on the left. 02:12 A soldier stands in front of a landmark tower. Army vehicles drive away from that area; camera follows the car circling around it. 02:53 A man standing on the military car mouths something. 02:56 A woman (French collaborator) has a swastika painted on her chest, forehead, and cheek. Her hair is being shaved off. Crowd of young men behind her smiling and cheering, holding up (perhaps) pieces of her hair. A gun is held up to her right temple. 03:06 A hand forcibly moves her head up to fully reveal it to the camera. 03:10 Army cars driving down a crowded street. 03:13 Woman and three girls running across the street. A man runs across the street. Shot of the empty street with an Army car. 03:27 A soldier crouching with a gun behind a car, another soldier joins him. 04:02 Civilians running across the street corner. 04:23 Various shots of soldiers and some civilians advancing across the street either running or hiding. 05:07 American Army tank labeled"S/L D'Arcangue" 05:17 A soldier using a camera. 05:32 Army cars driving down street and crowds wave.
Liberation in France; French collaborator