Army of Shadows
I was a history major in College, but history is a large subject, and I can honestly say I know very little, if not nothing about the underground French resistance movement during world war two. “Army of Shadows” a 1969 film directed and co-written by Jean-Pierre Melville, peaks my interest. Just to see the film had me excited as it had never before been available in the United States. Its theatrical run here in 2006 led a few reviewers to laud it as the best film of the year since it had never before been released in the U.S. For my two cents I don’t know if it eclipses, say, “Children of Men” but this clandestine, humane, and stylish thriller is certainly in the top five.
It weaves its story line slowly and surely, building to events that are shocking, realistic, and tragic. Our main character is Philippe Gerbier, played by one of the greatest of all actors Lino Ventura, the kind of old fashioned man that rarely exists anymore on the screen (George Clooney can try but has a ways to go). Philippe is involved in the resistance, perhaps high up. But this is no mission impossible. When he improbably, bloodily, and sloppily escapes imprisonment and certain death from the Nazi’s he and his organization turn to deal with a traitor. All of them know this man must be killed. But the details are all wrong; the weapons they have will cause too much noise, none of them have done anything like this before, and the man’s final slow demise sufficiently raises the film’s stakes; these are ordinary men doing very un-ordinary things. Gradually, our other main characters are introduced.
Clandestinely a lead character will take us to another, then another, then another. Their work is carried out with no regard for their safety. At every step a man like Gerbier, a civil engineer before the war, is doing things that he is not equipped to do, but has no choice. The British offer a little help. While in Britain, Gerbier allows himself to become human for just a moment. He observes a country living under constant bombardment, and he observes people being people-a luxury he does not have.
Mathilde (Simone Signoret) is one of the most remarkable and important soldiers in the underground army. Her will, strength, inventiveness, excellence as a resistance fighter is built up so much that we are astounded that she has one small human trait; a picture of her daughter. Gerbier cannot believe it, he reprimands her. The resistance is secretive. One man is recruited, we step inside his mind. He visits his brother, he wonders how different they now are, he a resistance fighter, his brother a normal man. Little does he know.
The resistance is small and fiercely loyal to each other. Risks are taken to avoid losses, not of soldiers, but of trusted and admired counterparts. That they are fighting an uphill battle is an understatement.
The film is brilliant. It is brilliant in narrative, in cinematography, and in story. Its construction, it’s un-layering of secrets, makes each plot point sting. The last half hour is heart thumping. Jean-Pierre Melville had a style all his own-an understated cool, here employed for the benefit of an intriguing, important and heroic story.
Story: A The underground French resistance. The story reveals itself honestly, without fanfare, its pace and seriousness reflecting the stakes at hand.
Acting: A Show me a better leading man than Lino Ventura.
Visuals: A Brilliantly lit. Melville paints his films.
Originality/Innovation: A Its opening image shows us the stakes. This is a somber piece to educate the populous on heroes who lost their lives and the twisted path they took to doing so.
Enjoyability Grade: A
Overall Grade: A true classic.
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