Un Village Français 4.11

La Souricière

or The Mousetrap

13 Nov 1942

The French police, led by Marchetti, stake out Marie Germain's farm. They keep their distance but keep the place under surveillance, waiting for the right moment. Marchetti sends Crémieux to the farm to find out what he can. Rita talks to Marchetti but doesn't ask him about the letter from her mother. When he goes home later that night she is nowhere to be found.

Crémieux goes to the farm. He learns about the meeting that is planned. He unsuccessfully tries to talk them out of meeting with the Communists.

Raymond Schwartz receives a verbal warning from Chassagne. Schwartz is almost killed later in the episode by a bomb that goes off in his office less than a minute after he walked outside. He confronts Chassagne about the bomb but Chassagne warns Raymond that he carries a gun.

Hortense leaves Daniel and goes back to Müller.

Marchetti confront Dr. Larcher. Marchetti knows that Rita went to see him and wants to know what the doctor told her. A fight almost breaks out but DeKervern returns and knocks some sense into Marchetti.

Bériot learns by chance from Eliane that the police were on to Raoul. He tries to warn the others but when he gets near the farm, on bicycle, he spots someone observing the farm from a tree and turns around. He goes to the local bordello and asks one of the women working there if she can get word to Marcel to stay away from the farm.

Chassagne starts to flex his muscle. He shows up at the stakeout and questions why Marchetti hasn't arrested anyone yet. Marchetti defends his decision to hold off on attacking the farm until the meeting begins. Chassagne calls in other police who answer to him and they take over the operation.

Judith Morhange dies while staying at Dr. Larcher's home. Her breathing is very ragged. She asks Dr. Larcher for something to help her sleep well. He give it to her and she passes away soon after that.

Marcel decides to go to the meeting with the Gaulists. He is the only one on the Communist side who decides to attend. The other are nervous because the regional party lead who was also supposed to be at the meeting has not shown up.

Chassagne is appointed mayor of Villeneuve. He orders the police to move in on the farm as soon as possible. Marchetti warns him that it will be a bloodbath. Chassagne wants a bloodbath. The police are making their final preparations when Marchetti notices Rita approaching the farm by bicycle.

Thoughts

Raymond, Jeanine, and Chassagne are back.

I'm not sure what is going on with Rita. At one point it seemed like she was fleeing toward Switzerland but now it seems as if she is part of the Resistance, or maybe it's just a coincidence that she is bicycling past the farm.

I don't think that Marcel or Marie are going to be around for the next season of the show.

I don't understand how the police are able to keep such a close eye on the farm and not be spotted. It's not like there are only a few of them. I also don't understand how Crémieux was able to go for a walk with and meet with Marchetti and then return to the farm without anyone noticing what he was doing.

I'm a little surprised that Müller isn't involved in any way with the surveillance operation near the farm. I don't understand Hortense. What does she want out of life? What does she see in Müller?

This was a fairly busy episode. Whatever happens in the next episode is going to get messy.