Triple agent (2004)

Director:

Eric Rohmer

Writer:

Eric Rohmer (written by)

Release Date:

17 March 2004 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

France, 1936-37. The Popular Front wins elections, the Spanish Civil War begins, and Hitler and Stalin are manipulating and spying...

Plot Keywords:

Russia | Set In France | Spy | Espionage | WWII In France

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Katerina Didaskalou	...	Arsinoé
Serge Renko	...	Fiodor
Cyrielle Clair	...	Maguy
Grigori Manukov	...	Boris
Dimitri Rafalsky	...	Général Dobrinsky
Nathalia Krougly	...	La Générale
Amanda Langlet	...	Janine
Jeanne Rambur	...	Dany
Emmanuel Salinger	...	André
Vitalyi Cheremet	...	Alexis Tcherepnine
Bernard Peysson	...	Le médecin
Laurent Le Doyen	...	Le journaliste
Emilie Fourrier	...	L'aide-couturière
Alexandre Koltchak	...	Planton
Vladimir Léon	...	Tchernov

Also Known As:

Triple Agent (International: English title) (USA) (festival title)
Agente speciale (Italy)
Triple agente (Spain)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

France | Italy | Spain | Greece | Russia

Language:

French | Russian | German | Greek

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Germany:12 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U | Netherlands:AL

Company:

Rézo Productions

Soundtrack:

Quatuor no 8

This Semi-True Life Tale Really Makes You Think.

As is explained in the prologue to the film, it is based on a true story, although some names, situations and facts have been changed or added. The addition of any facts I feel were probably few, as the film wanted to give a sense of the unknown. The use of historical french newsreel footage throughout gives an partial documentary feel to the film, yet the fine direction by Eric Rohmer, editing and quality of acting draws you straight back into the story every time.

I came away from seeing this film at the Hong Kong Film Festival 2004 with many thoughts. The film has been very well written as a pre-World War II drama/thriller. With many twists and turns in the plot, most of them between the lead characters, Fiodor a 'white russian' (a russian against Joseph Stalins communist ideals) and his greek wife Arsinoe, who live together in Paris, the russian man being 'in exile'.

This is the kind of film that I could watch a hundred times and always come out at the end with different opinion of Fiodor, such is the complexity of the story. The acting benefits well for using actors with applicable nationality/heritage, ie Fiodor, russian, played by Serge Renko and Arsinoe, greek, played by Katerina Didaskalu. Giving the accent the right 'edge', especially in the case of Serge Renko, as the characters speak mainly french in the film. Serge also gives a proud russian 'stiffness' to his character making his behaviour very creditable.

The locations selected for the filming were well chosen and the set's well thought out. Some people may find this film a little faltering, but to me it felt as if the screenplay writer wanted to interfere as little as possible with the original true-life source material. Leaving the viewer to make up their own mind.

An entertaining film that I would watch again, if only to try and make up my mind about Fiodor. Watch it, think about it and then watch it again is my advice.

Rating 8.5-9/10