A new French film explores General Charles de Gaulle's enduring appeal and his call for an independent foreign policy. The film's release highlights the continued fascination with the historical figure and the relevance of his stance amid shifting US-Europe relations.

The release of a two-part summer blockbuster on General Charles de Gaulle’s fight to rally resistance to Nazi occupation is yet another sign that the once-divisive figure continues to fascinate the French public. And while his name risks being turned into an empty signifier of fading French glory on the lips of politicians of every stripe, his call for France to forge its own foreign policy – free of Washington’s dictates – may have found new relevance as Europe’s relationship with the US worsen...