Reading "Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville" is alone enough reason for me to want to see a film. He is my favorite French film maker of all time. And that is truly saying something. 2nd only to the United States in both quality and quantity of films made, the French understand cinema. It has been said that the art of cinema started in France (mostly is it said by Frenchmen).
Melville is considered "The Father of the French New Wave". This is not to say that he worked within that style nor was he bound to the manifesto of the La Nouvelle Vague. He was however a major influence. Similar to Hitchcock in those regards.
Army of Shadows is about a group of French Resistance fighters who's job it is to disrupt the Greman occupation of Frnace during the 2nd World War. These men and women are not soldiers, they are average Joe's who do not have access to guns and knives. Instead they fight the forces of evil with their cunning, daring and courage. This is exemplified in a scene where they have to kill a traitor. The house they are in is too close to the neighbors so they can't shoot him. They then try to decide which method of execution is the quietest. All the while their prisoner stands there listening. It is a brutal, unflintching scene in which Melville just lets the camera roll.
Patience is a virtue. Melville's films often require patience to watch. He uses long takes and limited dialogue. He lets his stories breath and reveal themselves in real time. Which often times is lengthy. But I promise you will always be rewarded. Rare is the film maker that doesn't feel the need to force feed their viewers exposition or narration. Rare is the film maker that trusts his/her audience enough to introduce as many as 5-6 characters without providing explanation as to who they are, how they got here and what is their purpose. Melville is that rare film maker. I definitively feel the need to watch Army of Shadows again now that I have learned about this world and its inhabitants.
This film is presented in a dark, quiet, desolate France. Army of Shadows mantra is "How far are you will to go"? or "How much are you willing to sacrifice"? At one point one of the fighters seems to abandon the resistance and gets himself thrown in jail. We later see that the reason is that possibly he wanted to comfort and help a different fighter that had been captured. We also see the beating and inevitable conclusion that he will face because of his actions. On top of that he is now considered a coward and possible traitor by the people that he is giving up his life to protect. Because in order to protect them he could not explain his plan. They would not have allowed him to go through with it.
Army of Shadows is a bleak and depressing picture. But so was France in 1942. Melville manages to capture the mood perfectly. I can't wait to see this film again. I give Army of Shadows ★★★★1/2. Check out the Trailer Park to see for yourself. This film is available on Blu Ray through the Criterion Collection and on Netflix Watch Instantly. Viva la France!
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