Tag: French Resistance

‘Allied’

American Film, BAFTAs, Film, Oscars, War Film

A straight forward, somewhat stolid tale of a London-based Canadian intelligence officer dealing with accusations that his new wife, a member of the French Resistance, is a German spy.

Shipped into Morocco, Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) makes contact with his ‘wife’ Marianne Beauséjour (Marion Cotillard) where the assassination of high ranking Nazi officials is the mission. Intimacy leads to romance and, on his return to London, Vatan awaits her clearance to join him. Marriage, suburban bliss and a child follow – until friend and commanding officer Frank Heslop (Jared Harris) informs Vatan there are suspicions Marianne is a spy. He needs to disprove the suspicions.

With its mix of war time adventure and romance, Allied as directed by Robert Zemeckis is as solid as it comes in its storytelling. But there’s limited suspense, resulting in sluggishness. The zip of the opening adventure becomes bogged down in a strange domesticity in spite of the levels Pitt goes to prove his wife’s innocence.

Nominated for best costume Oscar in 2017 (Joanna Johnston)

Rating: 48%

Director: Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, The Walk)

Writer: Steven Knight (Locke, Eastern Promises)

Main cast: Brad Pitt (Thelma & Louise, Bullet Train), Marion Cotillard (La vie en rose, Inception), Jared Harris (TV’s Chernobyl, Mad Men)

‘Resistance’

American Film, European Film, Film, Film based on true story/events, French Film, UK Film

As war looms, the residents of Strasbourg on the French/German border are evacuated. Included are a large number of Jewish German orphans and a group of adult carers with Marcel Mangel (Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network, Now You See Me), a wannabe actor, among them.

As Nazi Germany extends its control in France to include the so-called independent Vichy France, Jews are rounded up, an operation headed by the sadistic Klaus Barbie (Matthias Schweighöfer – Army of the Dead, Valkyrie). Believed to be close enough to Switzerland, Mangel, his brother Alain (Félix Moati – The French Dispatch, Jour de gloire) and members of the French Resistance hike groups of children to safety across the Swiss border.

Thousands are saved over the course of the war. Directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz (Hands of Stone, Secuestro express) Resistance is enthralling if functional and episodic with it’s emotional distance. Based on true events and the wartime exploits of international Mime artist, Marcel Marceau.

Rating: 61%