Army of Shadows (1969)
97 %
Reviews Counted: 68 Fresh: 66 Rotten:2 Average Rating: 8.6/10
Consensus:
Originally made in 1969, this recently released film takes a powerful, masterful look at the determination and subtle, internal workings of the mind in the face of fighting a futile resistance.
Rated: Not Rated
Runtime: 2 hrs 25 mins
Theatrical Release: Apr 28, 2006 Limited
Box Office: $231,660
Synopsis: Well-known for his influential crime films (LE SAMOURAI, LE CERCLE ROUGE), director Jean-Pierre Melville explores the lives of French Resistance fighters in his moody World War II masterpiece, ARMY OF SHADOWS. Restrained and controlled, the film follows Philippe Gerbier (Lino Ventura)... [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Simone Signoret, Paul Crauchet
Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
Buy It On DVD
Reviews
As bleak as it is compelling, it will leave you wondering if these freedom fighters haven't done more damage to each other than they have to the Nazi aggressors.
Comment
08/22/07
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08/17/07
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04/25/07
Top Critic
Rich in the elegance, assurance and quasi-formality that often define Melville's style.
03/01/07
The fascination comes in minute observation of the Resistance soldiers' mannerisms, demeanor and interaction.
02/15/07
It's hard to believe that Melville's 1969 masterpiece--one of the most honest and accurate chronicles of the French Resistance--never got released in the US until 2006; Splendidly acted, this personal-political film draws on the helmer's own experience.
02/02/07
Although it has several suspenseful sequences, "Shadows" is not a spy thriller, precisely. It's much more along the lines of a melancholy mood piece...
02/02/07
The glacial pacing can be an irritant as the film unfolds -- I repeatedly wanted to speed things up -- but Army of Shadows won't leave you alone after you've seen it.
01/26/07
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01/19/07
From the first sight of German soldiers goose-stepping past the Arc de Triomphe to a postscript that spells out the fate of characters whose moral confusion is all too real, Army of Shadows is a movie of its time -- and ours.
01/18/07
Top Critic
ARMY OF SHADOWS is a remarkable and superb film, and American audiences should be rejoicing that is finally (if belatedly) has reached theaters.
01/11/07
A fascinating picture of bureaucratic drudgery, even in the middle of war and occupation.
12/30/06
Unlike the romantic images of freedom fighters perpetuated by the popular media, Melville’s movie is stripped of self-congratulatory hero worship and other puffery.
11/18/06
Rare is the film that actually improves with time. Among that handful is the 1969 French thriller Army of Shadows.
10/20/06
Melville stages riveting set pieces, tense little nuggets of men striking in the dark and dealing out death.
10/20/06
It's a haunting and sublime work that offers a realistic but horrific account of the underground Resistance.
10/07/06
For anyone interested in the impact of war on ordinary men, Army of Shadows proves a sobering and invaluable experience.
09/22/06
Top CriticRelated Forums
NEW 35mm RESTORATION of Jean Pierre Melville's ARMY OF SHADOWS hits USA screens!!!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 7/23/07
by: REEL_REVIEWER 7/23/07
NEW 35mm RESTORATION of Jean Pierre Melville's ARMY OF SHADOWS hits USA screens!!!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 7/23/07
by: REEL_REVIEWER 7/23/07
NEW 35mm RESTORATION of Jean Pierre Melville's ARMY OF SHADOWS hits USA screens!!!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 7/23/07
by: REEL_REVIEWER 7/23/07
NEW 35mm RESTORATION of Jean Pierre Melville's ARMY OF SHADOWS hits USA screens!!!
by: REEL_REVIEWER 7/23/07
by: REEL_REVIEWER 7/23/07
A fantastic site on this legend!
by: fabrik 1/7/07
by: fabrik 1/7/07
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