Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Fabio Testi | ... | Buenaventura Diaz | |
Michel Duchaussoy | ... | Marcel Treuffais | |
Maurice Garrel | ... | André Épaulard | |
Michel Aumont | ... | Goemond | |
Lou Castel | ... | D'Arey | |
Didier Kaminka | ... | Meyer | |
![]() |
André Falcon | ... | Le ministre / The Minister |
François Perrot | |||
![]() |
Lyle Joyce | ... | Richard Poindexter |
Viviane Romance | ... | Madame Gabrielle | |
Mariangela Melato | ... | Veronique Cash | |
![]() |
Henri Attal | ||
![]() |
Jean-Marie Arnoux | ||
![]() |
George Birt | ||
![]() |
François Cadet |
A group of anarchist leftist called "Nada" and led by the terrorist Buenaventura Diaz abducts the American ambassador Richard Poindexter in a brothel in Paris and brings him to a farm in the countryside. The French Minister gives a blank cheque to the violent chief of police Goemond that is assigned to destroy the kidnappers. Then the Minister makes him the scapegoat of the messy situation to protect the State. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
"Nada" was the most inadequate follow-up to "Les NOces Rouges" which,with hindsight,appears now as the last good movie of Chabrol's golden era (1967-1973) "Nada" is Chabrol's first real attempt at a wholly political movie;his previous work "les Noces Rouges" had also political elements but it was more a psychological thriller with the usual look at society in French provinces."Nada" includes terrorists,ambassador,hostage-taking,a lot of blood,not really Chabrol's field.A heterogeneous cast gives the movie the coup de grâce :only Duchaussoy,who had already played with the director ,and Maurice Garrel are up to scratch.Viviane Romance ,one of Duvivier's actresses ("la Belle Equipe" "Panique") ,is wasted as a madam (Gabrielle).Italian actors (Fabio Testi,Lou Castel)are awful.
With "Nada" this a second period of barren inspiration for Chabrol .It would be "Violette Nozières" before he was again at the top of his game.