MovieChat Forums > L'armée des ombres (1970) Discussion > No actual scenes of nazi vs. resistence ...

No actual scenes of nazi vs. resistence fighting

posted 17 years ago by oacmgm
5 replies | jump to latest

I found this strange, but interesting; Melville wanted to show the mechanics of the French Resistence that we didn't know about, and to an extreme, thus he doesn't look at what the Resistence accomplished, but more so how the strict codes of the Resistence led to its inevitable futility, ineffectivity in the war effort and self-destruction (the death of Mathilde is an obvious example). Anyways, I speaking the obvious, but it would have been cool to see a screw up plan or shootout. Agree?
Any thoughts from the forum? Any political parallels?

Someone please argue with me, I desperately want to be proven wrong.

[–] hajj628 17 years ago

I happily disagree. These are intelligent men aware of their limited means. The Resistance knows that their success it wholly dependent on their ability to stay alive - they hope to succeed by employing underhanded tactics and outliving the occupation. A direct confrontation would have just killed them sooner.

You're obviously aware of the implausibility of a shoot-out scenario, but I think your expectations were off. However, I did think that the intensity of the violence on screen was much more effectiveness than in most movies. "Army of Shadows" was not without its adrenaline-fueled moments, and they didn't wear me down or bore me, as is the case with most overly-choreographed shootouts.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PoppyTransfusion 11 years ago

There were plenty of scenes where the Nazis were versus the resistance but they were not of the action scene variety you wished for and so I disagree with you.

Furthermore the codes of the resistance were not 'inevitable futility, ineffectivity ... and self destruction'. The codes were moral and ultimate designed to protect what was most important, the resistance group at the expense of its individuals, which its individuals seemed to understand and support. The fact that there's a resistance at all is of prime importance to an occupied people. A resistance is never likely to defeat its occupier by fire power and so other means must be found to undermine their efforts whilst raising those of the resistance.

Movement ends, intent continues;
Intent ends, spirit continues

[–] henrimaine 9 years ago

the strict codes of the Resistence led to its inevitable futility, ineffectivity in the war effort and self-destruction

I also found it a bit strange that the movie chose not to show any of the military accomplishments of the French resistance. Instead they showed them being in prison or killing their own. Based on what is shown in that movie, it seems reasonable to ask: what was the use of that resistance?

Mind you, I'm not saying that the movie is bad or boring. On the contrary, it was interesting to see such anti-heroic depiction of fighters on the "right side" of World War II.

[–] jd-276 8 years ago

No, I don't agree and think the film is brilliant as it stands. It's not really meant to be an action movie. It'd more in the suspense vein and Melville's superb pacing raises the level of suspense to about 11/10. But if that first execution scenes isn't enough... If you can get hold of the Criterion DVD, the narration is worth listening to.