La guerre est finie (1966)

Director:

Alain Resnais

Writer:

Jorge Semprún (writer)

Release Date:

11 May 1966 (France)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot:

Diego is one of the chief of the spanish Communist Party. He is travelling back to Paris (where he lives) from a mission in Madrid...

Plot Keywords:

Passport | Comrade | Police | Border | Communist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins

Cast

Yves Montand	...	Diego Mora
Ingrid Thulin	...	Marianne
Geneviève Bujold	...	Nadine Sallanches
Jean Dasté	...	Le chef du réseau clandestin / Chief
Dominique Rozan	...	Jude
Jean-François Rémi	...	Juan
Marie Mergey	...	Madame Lopez
Jacques Wallet	...	Un CRS / CRS Policeman
Michel Piccoli	...	L'inspecteur des douanes / First Customs Inspector
Anouk Ferjac	...	Marie Jude
Roland Monod	...	Antoine
Pierre Decazes	...	L'employé SNCF / Station Employee
Paul Crauchet	...	Roberto
Claire Duhamel	...	La femme du wagon-restaurant / Traveller
Antoine Bourseiller	...	L'homme du wagon-restaurant / Traveller

Also Known As:

Kriget är slut (Sweden)
The War Is Over (USA)

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

France | Sweden

Language:

French | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Italy:VM14 (re-rated) (1977) | Italy:VM18 (cut) | UK:15 (1994) | UK:X (1966) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11

Company:

Europa Film

An internal thriller, fascinating as much as the three lead performances by Montand, Thulin, and Bujold

"La Guerre est Finie" aka The War is Over (1966) from French master Alain Resnais, is a taut intellectual yet very much visual thriller. Yves Montand is in his mature prime, and Ingrid Thulin so quietly sensual, while Geneviève Bujold gave an impressive debut performance. Resnais' creative cinematic approach in rich visual play mixed with voice-over narration, aptly intensified the suspense. We're literally inside Montand's character Diego's head - thinking with him, seeing through his eyes, having memory tracking along with him in either flash back or flash forward. We feel Thulin's subtle moves as Marianne - a slight turn of her head, gentle extension of her neck, every movement so delicately modest yet sensual in volumes. Bujold's Nadine has such delicious youthful verve befitting the character - she is the exciting accent. Thulin and Bujold each has an intimate segment opposite Montand delivered in Resnais' unique and refreshing points of view. It is cinematic nuance truly savory and appreciation optimal.

Cinematography in black and white by Sacha Vierny is poignantly appropriate - suspense would probably be lessen if delivered in color. Music score by Giovanni Fusco further ensured the distinctive quality of this film. You can tell this is no Hollywood thriller formula. In fact, the film can very well be a character study of Diego or a visual journey through the interplay of character relationships, yet it's suspenseful nonetheless. The beginning segment with veteran actor Michel Piccoli as the shrewd custom inspector questioning Montand's Diego certainly is tense as any other spy thriller yarn.

The war in the title can very well be within Diego: to decide whether to continue this life of 'professional revolutionary' or to start anew a 'normal' life with Marianne. The dilemma also carries over to Marianne: to decide to stay in Paris or love conquers all in pursuit after Diego (to the point of being a matter of life and death, indeed). "The War is Over" may seem complex, but it's actually an easier to follow film than other Resnais endeavors. Give it a try. It's available on DVD. Caution: do ignore the dubbed in English alternative - it would not be the real thing, definitely non-flavorful. Experience the film in French with English subtitles.