Character Relationship Map: Assignment in Brittany

Characters

• Bertrand Corlay / Capt. Pierre Metard (played by Jean-Pierre Aumont) — protagonist

  Free French Captain parachuted into occupied France to locate hidden U-boat pens. He assumes the identity of suspected collaborator Bertrand Corlay due to their striking resemblance. He navigates dece...

• Anne Pinot (played by Susan Peters) — supporting

  Bertrand Corlay's fiancée who initially helps Matard. She later discovers his true identity, hides him in a secret church room, nurses him back to health, and confesses her love. Ultimately forced to...

• Elise (played by Signe Hasso) — supporting

  Bertrand Corlay's mistress and a collaborator who aids the Germans. Matard extracts crucial intelligence about the U-boat pen location from her. She is later found with Colonel Holz during the command...

• Jean Kerenor (played by Richard Whorf) — supporting

  A schoolteacher and active Resistance member who helps free Matard after his capture. He protects Elise initially but later strangles her upon discovering her collaboration. He provides covering fire...

• Etienne (played by Darryl Hickman) — supporting

  Young nephew of the wireless operator Plehec. Initially coerced into identifying Matard to the Germans, he later helps Matard locate and transmit the U-boat pen coordinates under his uncle's instructi...

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Elise → Anne Pinot (Romantic Rival) — Their connection is defined by competing positions in Bertrand's personal life.

  Elise is identified as Bertrand Corlay's mistress, while Anne Pinot is identified as his fiancée; the protagonist later assumes Bertrand's identity ar...

• Bertrand Corlay / Capt. Pierre Metard → Anne Pinot (Romantic Interest) — Their relationship develops from assumed familiarity into genuine love.

  Anne Pinot initially believes the protagonist is Bertrand Corlay, later learns his true identity, and confesses that she loves him.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Jean Kerenor → Anne Pinot (Alliance Resistance Associate) — They are connected through the shared village Resistance network.

  Jean helps the Resistance effort that shelters the protagonist in the church, where Anne nurses him and later joins the escape.

• Anne Pinot → Etienne (Alliance Flight Companion) — They share the danger of forced flight from their homeland.

  At the conclusion, Anne and Etienne board the departing boats after learning that the Germans have discovered their involvement.

• Etienne → Bertrand Corlay / Capt. Pierre Metard (Narrative Reluctant Witness) — Etienne moves from coerced identification to active assistance.

  Etienne reluctantly identifies the captured protagonist to the Germans, but later takes him to the wireless and helps him transmit the submarine-pen l...

• Jean Kerenor → Bertrand Corlay / Capt. Pierre Metard (Alliance Resistance Ally) — Jean becomes one of the protagonist's most important Resistance supporters.

  Jean Kerenor and other villagers free the protagonist after he is captured and tortured.

• Bertrand Corlay / Capt. Pierre Metard → Elise (Conflict Adversarial Informant Relationship) — He exploits Elise's collaboration with the Germans to obtain vital intelligence.

  The protagonist deceives Elise and extracts from her the information that the submarine pen is in Saint Lunaire.

• Jean Kerenor → Elise (Conflict Executioner) — Jean's view of Elise changes from defense to lethal condemnation.

  After finding Elise with the German officer, Jean Kerenor strangles her after previously defending her from accusations of collaboration.

Story Analysis

A Free French captain uses a dangerous false identity to locate submarine pens while relying on Resistance courage, sacrifice, and trust.

Plot Progression

1. The Borrowed Identity — The Free French captain receives a mission to locate hidden U-boat pens. Because of his resemblance to Bertrand Corlay, he parachutes into occupied France and begins an elaborate impersonation.
2. Secrets Behind the Farm — The protagonist reaches the Corlay farm and survives the suspicion surrounding his false identity. His encounters with Anne and Elise gradually provide access to crucial local information.
3. The Harbor Revelation — The location of the hidden pen is revealed as Saint Lunaire, but the protagonist's Resistance contact is exposed as a turncoat. A violent escape through the harbor confirms the presence of a U-boat.
4. Torture and Recovery — The wireless operation fails, leading to the protagonist's capture and torture. Resistance villagers free him, and Anne hides and nurses him beneath the church.
5. Fire Over Saint Lunaire — Etienne helps transmit the coordinates, enabling a commando raid. Resistance sacrifices and a final assault open the pen before British torpedo boats destroy the installation and carry the survivors a...