The movie "Jeux interdits" (1952)

Here's the translation by ChatGPT.

In a movie I watched a long time ago, the basic plot is as follows: At the beginning, in a scene where people are fleeing from an air raid, the parents of a 5-year-old girl named Polette are shot and killed, leaving her an orphan. Additionally, the beloved dog she cared for dies shortly thereafter. In the midst of mourning this loss, she encounters an 11-year-old boy named Michel. The two quickly become friends, and Polette is warmly welcomed into Michel's family, where they begin to live together.
Michel attempts to create a cross for the dog's memorial, but his efforts are in vain. As a last resort, he tries to steal a cross from a nearby church, only to be caught by the pastor, resulting in failure. However, the situation escalates further as Michel impulsively pulls crosses from nearby graves. Attempting to shift the blame, Michel uses his "innocence" to deceive neighbors, but eventually, the truth is exposed, leading to a commotion. In the midst of this, police arrive and forcibly send the reluctant Polette to a facility (convent). This was arranged by Michel's father in advance for Polette's well-being. The sudden separation deeply disturbs Michel, who becomes uncontrollable. In the crowded convent, Polette stands bewildered. That's when someone calls out "Michel." Though it's a different person named Michel, Polette sharply reacts to the voice and, in a frenzy, starts running through the chaos, continuously shouting "Michel, Michel," eventually getting swallowed up by the crowd.

When I first watched it, along with the famous music (whenever I mentioned practicing the guitar back then, I would almost reflexively be asked, "Can you play 'Jeux interdits'?"), it left me with the impression of a mere "sad story." However, upon revisiting it, I was surprised to find that, despite vividly depicting the horrors of war, the central theme of "play" involved Michel disturbingly pulling crosses from graves for the burial of pets. While such an act might be acceptable for a 5-year-old like Polette, it seems quite a stretch to label it as "innocent play" for an 11-year-old like Michel. Hence, it's only natural to consider it as something "forbidden." What does it mean to call that "the world of innocent children"? However, upon deeper reflection, considering that ordinary "play" is forbidden due to war, children's minds are severely distorted, and as a result, such an absurd act becomes their idea of "play." It's not unreasonable to view it from that perspective as well.