L'armée des ombres (Melville, 1969)

L'armée des ombres (Melville, 1969) - #TSPDT #573

The operation and code of honor of the French resistance movement during WWII.

The image is quite interesting for a biopic in the sense that it doesn't focus on anything like a specific morale. Also, the story takes some very unexpected terms at quite some points. First to mind comes to scene where they man is saved from execution at literally the last moment (actually, it's after that to be precise). Another story point I didn't like too much was the self sacrifice of one of the members. It does make sense when retold, but the pacing of that story part just felt wrong somehow. The film has long phases where not a lot happens and then bursts into violence, although this is more at the beginning than at the end.

The capturing of the many moods was quite interesting. It shows different aspects of the resistance leaders trying to operate in their very difficult condition. There is a lot of fear, there is a code of "honor" that everybody is obliged to serve. There is also a certain serenity in accepting fate as it is handed to you by the war.

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