The War Is Over (1966)

A middle-aged political activist tries to dissuade his young followers from taking radical action.

Director:

Alain Resnais

Writer:

Jorge Semprún

Stars:

Yves Montand, Ingrid Thulin, Geneviève Bujold

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
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
Laurence Badie	...	Bernadette Pluvier

Storyline

Diego is one of the chiefs of the spanish Communist Party. He is travelling back to Paris (where he lives) from a mission in Madrid. He is arrested at the border for an identity check but manages to go free thanks to Nadine, the daughter of the man whose passport is used by him. When he arrives in Paris, he starts searching one of his comrades, Juan, to prevent him from going to Madrid where he could be arrested by Franco's police...

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Plot Keywords:

botanical garden | toledo spain | spanish | police | comrade | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Screenwriter Jorge Semprún's life and work as a member of the central committee of the Spanish Communist party from 1954 to 1965 are the basis of the character Diego Mora played by Yves Montand actions and thoughts in 'La Guerre est finie'.

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Connections

Referenced in Apostrophes: Du roman ou du vécu (1978)

User Reviews

A man's gotta do...

Alain Resnais was almost a god of cinema in the 60's. That people actually discussed the meaning of Last Year at Marienbad at parties seems unbelievable today (yet check the posts for Mulholland Drive), but it was a cultural object just as real as a Picasso painting. If I say that La Guerre est finie has aged badly, that's not to say that it didn't hold the attention of liberals 40 years ago.

The politics of the main (male) characters are fossilized. The old Bolshevik ideals have become more and more detached from reality. Diego knows that there will be no general strike in Spain on May 1st, no matter how hard they will it to happen. Pamphlets smuggled by car into the country in false compartments are not being translated into actions. Diego's lack of authenticity is his real problem: he's spent most of his life in France, speaks better French than Spanish, and is watching people 20 years younger than himself taking more radical steps to end Franco's rule.

Marianne has a greater grasp of reality than her lover. After nine years with Diego, she just wants to settle down and have kids, and put an end to the endless coded conversations with her friends (who are ignorant of Diego's revolutionary activities). She watches as Diego gets sloppy--driving with lights out while there's a suitcase full of plastic explosives in the car, as a cop stops them for questioning.

Semprun's script makes Montand into a sexual magnet; has any 20-year-old girl taken off her clothes faster for a tired 45-year-old man? The star system dictates that the male lead be a stud, but there are limits.

Details

Country:

France Sweden

Language:

French Spanish

Release Date:

11 May 1966 (France)

Also Known As:

The War Is Over

Filming Locations:

Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris 6, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Europa Film, Sofracima

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1