I knew nothing about Melville, other than reputation and just checked out this film and Le Samourai. Both were great, but Army of Shadows was superb. The emotional integrity of this movie was deeply profound, the acting was top-notch, and the cinematography was tremendous. Le Bison is immediately one of my favorite characters in film, although Mathilde was truly great as well. I couldn't praise this movie highly enough. 10/10 for me.
shareAs far as films about the resistance go this is the best of them. The low number of votes on this site and failure to appear in books on best films indicate this is a largely unknown masterpiece. I have only seen this, Le Doulos and Bob le Flambeur so far of Melville's work but none will leave you disappointed.
shareIf you like Melville, check out Le Cercle Rouge, another essential.
shareIn my estimation I too don't think there's a better film on the French Resistance. It's just incredible what Melville accomplished with his actors where they get right down to the "truth" of the reality inherent in being a "resistance" fighter at the time. I'm very intrigued in how Melville did his research for this great film.
One thing I noticed in the film is that there hardly isn't any political polemics in the film with speeches on freedom and what b******s the Nazis were. All we see are the every day life and death actions required from them while they defy their oppressors. Melville's worked on me where each time I watch the film I ask myself if I have can do what they did and "resist". I just don't know what I would do. I know i probably would have hated the nazis but going the next step to kill'em in their beds or wherever they were,that is the question.