The Silence of the Sea

On a small occupied french town, in 1941 an officer of the german army played by Howard Vernon stays at the house of a peculiar couple in which live her nieve and uncle. This last one is determined to not talk to him, accepts the situation, but is not willing to communicate with them. However the niece becomes more and more interested in the german's speeches about music, politics, arts or humanities.

Le Silence de la Mer was based upon a wartime "underground" novel by Vercours. Most of the film develops only in the living room of a bourgeois French family. Howard Vernon plays Von Ebrennae, a cultured Nazi officer who is billeted in this household. As the residents stare at him in mute contempt, Von Ebrennae eloquently articulates his philosophy of life, and the relationship between Germany and France.