[yasr_overall_rating]
An account of underground resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied France.
Set during Nazi-occupied France, the film begins with the arrest of Philippe Gerbier (Lino Ventura), the head of a small group of resistance fighters by the Vichy French police who is transported to Paris for questioning. While there, he makes an audacious escape and manages to reassemble with his group. Now aware that there is a traitor among them that led to his arrest, the informer is taken by Philippe himself and two of his men to a small house on the outskirts of town. Not wanting to kill him but realizing that they have no choice, the setting is one of the film’s most affecting scenes as none of the men have killed before and with neighbors nearby, shooting him and thereby ending it quickly, is out of the question. As they improvise different methods in which to kill him quietly, you can literally feel the fear and apprehension in the young man, knowing that it is only a matter of time before he is executed but at the same time, you understand Philippe and his men’s apprehension and reluctance in having to go through with it.
Later, Philippe travels to the Free France headquarters located in London and it is while he is there, that one of his closest friends in the resistance, Félix Lepercq (Paul Crauchet), is arrested by the Gestapo. Philippe knows that Félix won’t talk but he also knows that as a result, he will be tortured endlessly so he cuts his English trip short and makes his way back to France. With Félix gone, Mathilde (Simone Signoret), one of Philippe’s chief supporters, takes over and with his return, they formulate a plan to break into the Gestapo’s headquarters, disguised as Germans who utilize forged papers, instructing Félix’s transfer to a another detention facility.
Once there however, they are informed by a doctor that because of his serious condition, trying to move him anywhere would only make things worse. They reluctantly agree and leave but shortly thereafter, Philippe is arrested and placed in a holding facility. The next day, just as he is about to be executed, he is rescued by Mathilde and they go their separate ways until things cool down. A month later, Philippe is told that Mathilde has been arrested and with her family having been threatened by the Nazis unless she gives up the names of her confederates, Philippe must make the painful decision as to whether they need to kill her or not.
Director Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Army of Shadows” is a tense and exhaustively magnificent World War II espionage thriller. Melville shoots his film employing extremely long takes of multiple scenes, thereby allowing the tension to build without having to cut away. Unlike many of today’s contemporary filmmakers, who seem totally incapable of letting their audiences watch a scene for more than a few seconds before cutting to a different angle, Melville lets his shots linger, at times, almost to unbearable lengths, allowing his actors to perform their jobs admirably. He exquisitely creates the look and feel of war-torn Europe and you can’t help but watch the movie in awe, having to occasionally remind yourself that it is only a movie.
I had heard about “Army of Shadows” many years ago but it wasn’t available in the U.S. for almost 40 years after its initial release in 1969 until its restoration and limited release by Rialto Pictures in 2006. The movie will be playing in a new DCP restoration at the Ahrya Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills, for a one-week engagement beginning November 20th. For more information you can visit the official website at www.rialtopictures.com/shadows.html
