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Rating:  - A Timeless Examination of Good and Evil
Strong stuff. A sobering reminder of how evil people can be, and an insightful examination of the blurring boundary between good and evil. Timeless.
Rating: - Melville's best film.
At the risk of sparking a debate with the many fans of Le Samourai, Army of Shadows (L'Armée des ombres) is arguably Jean-Pierre Melville's best film. Based on Belle De Jour author Joseph Kessel's 1943 book L'armée des ombres, Melville's superb film chronicles his own experiences as a member of the French Resistance, together with fictionalized accounts of the Resistance against the Nazi occupation of France during World War II. The film is set in the winter months of 1942 and 1943. The opening shot of a German military procession on the Champs D'Elysees in front of the Arc de Triomphe, followed by Resistance fighter Philippe Gerbier's (Lino Ventura) solemn description of a German internment camp, establishes a quality of realism and authenticity that permeates the entire film. Much like Jef (the central character of Le Samourai), Melville's resistance fighters act with a ritualistic, warrior's code of conduct in a cold and politically hostile environment. In one of many memorable scenes, without emotion, Gerbier and his fellow fighters silently strangle a frightened young man for betraying them, using only a bath towel. In another equally compelling scene, they plot to kill one of their own, Mathilde (Simone Signoret), before she is interrogated by the Gestapo. Lino Ventura (who resembles Robert Deniro) brings an extraordinary performance to Melville's film. Unreleased in the United States for thirty-seven years, Army of Shadows is French cinema at its finest. It sets the standard for the French Resistance film genre (which also includes another French favorite, Lucie Aubrac).
This must-have two-disc Criterion set includes a new digital transfer of the 2004 restoration, an optional Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 soundtrack, audio commentary by film historian Ginette Vincendeau, new interviews with Lhomme and editor Françoise Bonnot, archival video excerpts, including on-set footage and interviews with Melville, cast members, writer Joseph Kessel, and real-life Resistance fighters, Jean-Pierre Melville et "L'Armée des ombres" (2006), a short program on the director and his film, Le journal de la Résistance (1944), a rare short documentary shot on the front lines of the final days of German-occupied France, improved subtitles, and a A booklet featuring critic Amy Taubin, historian Robert Paxton, and excerpts from Rui Nogueira's Melville on Melville.
G. Merritt
Rating: - Classic Cinema Told with Beautiful Restraint!
I've been a huge fan of cinema since I first saw "2001" as a child but as of late, movies have been boring me to tears. I don't know but the recent spat of movies shot on digital just leave me cold. You forget them as soon as you leave the theater and they unjustifiably push the two hour running time. So, I'd started thinking that maybe I don't like movies anymore and then I watched this movie. Wow, from the first frame "Army of Shadows"sucked me in. I'm not gonna go into the plot, you can read the synopsis above but I'm going to tell you why this movie should be seen. Pure and simple it's a masterpiece. It reaffirmed my love of cinema again. From the first frame of saturated, overcast and muted landscapes it sucks you in to this world. You don't watch it, you live it. The images look painted and Lino Ventura as the lead protaganist relates the hopelessness of the situation of the occupation of his country. In 2007 we know the good guys won but at the time to live thru the nazi invasion things must have seen dire. But these few courageous people refused to give in. It's a quite movie with loud themes of freedom and courage told in a subdued style. I'm a huge fan of "Le Samourai" and "Bob Le Flameur" and now"Army of Shadows. Highly recommended viewing.
Rating: - Out of the shadows
Army of Shadows is such a profound escape, a poignant transference in time, to a place so devoid of hope. It pulls you in with a raw sense of emotion and vulnerability, it's easy to get lost within the story. It follows the path of a group of brave members of the French Resistance during World War II, who were struggling to overcome the hostile German control.
They are also threatened by imminent danger from their own people, who might be forced to betray them in order to survive. Fear and distrust run rampant amongst this small army of shadows.
This story is based on the book by Joseph Kessel, an actual member of this Resistance. Plus the director Melville had some strong ties with this opposition. Their experiences makes for a very personal film. It harnesses such a sad, controlled energy that is unleashed in a subtle yet overwhelming manner. The effects are entertaining, provocative, and ultimately heart-breaking. A definite must see film, finally available in the U.S. after 37 years.
Rating:  - Excellent
This is essentially a psychological study of the French Resistance movement in the form of a thriller. While many parts of the movie are suspenseful, the deliberate pacing and almost mundane nature of much of the action is the stylistic opposite of conventional thrillers. Melville, himself a veteran of the Resistance, emphasizes not action but the psychological states of his protagonists. This is reflected not only in the plotting but also in the cinematography, which emphasizes closeups and conversations between characters. Army of Shadows conveys a vivid sense of the oppression of the Occupation/Vichy period, the relentless tension and sense of paranoia experienced by the Resistants, and the great moral courage required to persist in this bleak activity.
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