La Guerre Est Finie (1966)

For some soldiers, the war is never over... Legendary "New Wave" director Alain Resnais (Last Year at Marienbad) helms this emotionally-charged suspense-drama set in France and on the streets of fascist Spain, starring European film icon Yves Montand (Jean de Florette), a young Genevieve Bujold (Coma) in one of her first screen appearances, and the radiant Ingrid Thulin (Wild Strawberries). Montand is an aging revolutionary learning to accept that the fight for freedom should be passed to younger hands until a chance encounter with a student terrorist revives his militant passions, but catastrophe stalks Montand on his unswerving path to his last mission and a fateful choice.

The war that was . . .

This classic French film from the mid-1960s tells a thoughtful story of a man who has given his life to a political enterprise that he now questions. Yves Montand portrays the middle-aged Spaniard who crosses back and forth between Spain and France in attempts to support a Marxist revolution against the Franco government. A lover in Paris, played by Ingrid Thulin, knows of his true identity (and his real name, we assume) and remains hopeful that the two of them will one day have a life together, with a family. Their love scenes are tender and saddening for their briefness.

Meanwhile, the network of revolutionaries is being threatened on the one hand by the risk of arrest in Spain and on the other by the tactics of a whole new generation of young students bent on defeating fascism by more violent means, including explosives. Disagreeing with what he considers the misguided strategies of the old line leftists he has worked with for years, our hero is left with no choice but to follow orders and proceed toward an uncertain fate.

What is remarkable about this film is the freshness of its performances, the direction, editing, and black-and-white cinematography. Only the lovemaking scenes seem somewhat stilted and abstract, but the rest will take your breath away with its visual pleasures and the intelligence of the script. This was a movie made for thinking, feeling grownups capable of appreciating ironies that resonate with life lived outside the movie theater. August 24, 2008

THE WAR CONTINUES

At first glance the story line in this French film, sub-titled in English, set in the mid-1960's about the trials, tribulations, frustrations and sexual adventures (this is a commercial film, after all) of an exiled underground Spanish Communist Party functionary still working to defeat the Franco regime in Spain would seem a little dated. However, two things retrieve it from that fate. First, despite the victory of Franco in 1939 those who fought the Civil War on the Republican side most definitely had some unfinished business. Thus, the exploration, even if only cinematically, of the dangers and pitfalls of the necessary underground work in the fight against reactionary regimes still rings true as a lesson for latter day struggles. Secondly, an exploration of the wear and tear on committed cadre still fighting the good fight under much more trying circumstances than we currently face should help those who are trying to fight against today's `monsters'.

An interesting sidelight of the film is the counter-position of the strategies of the old guard Spanish Communist underground leadership committed to patient, if unrewarding, work to gain a hearing from the masses and what turned out to be the Spanish "New Left" of the 1960's that was looking for more demonstrative means of igniting those same masses. Thus the issue presented in the film of the classical general strike proposed by the old guard versus what amounted to urban guerilla warfare, including spectacular individual acts of terrorism, once again was played out on the Spanish left. Who won the argument? Well the class war still goes on so to pose the question is to give the answer. That in the end General Franco died in his bed in the mid-1970's is, however, something no progressive should have been or should be happy about.
April 2, 2007

War Games

Throughout history anytime there is a war you will find the youth and elderly people see the world and its problems two different ways. According to the youth, elderly people have given up fighting the good fight. They have fallen through the cracks and have conformed to what society wants them to think and say. The youth, the elderly say, are dreamers. They are inexperienced and optimistic. They actually believe they can change the world with their ideas. I think that's what Alain Resnais' "La Guerre est finie" (aka "The War Is Over") is about. The clash between these two ideas.

Yves Montand plays Diego Mora a member of the Spanish Communist Party who now lives in France. His group is trying to stage a strike during the Spanish Civil War. On his way back to France, travelling under a false passport, since it is feared the police may know his true identity, he finds out about a partner, Juan (Jean-Francois Remi) who may be arrested as soon as he arrives in Madrid. Diego and his partners treat this information as business as usual. They sit down and discuss the situation, taking notes. Diego, who considers himself a professional revolutionary, says the most important trait to being one is patience.

Back home in France Diego has a girlfriend, Marianne (great Bergman actress Ingrid Thulin). She yearns for a "normal" life. She wants to have a baby with Diego. She evens says she is willing to move to Spain, just to be with him. But she can sense, just as we can, Diego doesn't want a family. To a man like Diego his work is his first priority. A family would just get in his way.

While in France Diego meets a group a young radicals who are on the side on the Communist, headed by Nadine (Genevieve Bujold). They have a much different approach on how to solve Spain's problems. They believe in action. Diego and his friends believe in talk. Neither can understand the other. But, there must be a common ground. And they have to find it. Whether or not the movie does I will not say.

"The War Is Over" is so far the best Resnais film I have seen. I admit I have not seen them all, but I have enjoyed everything I've seen so far from the high talented filmmaker. "The War Is Over" may be described by some as slow moving. Boring or the worst film they have ever seen. It is none of these things. It is though a movie about ideas. There is not a lot of action scenes. No car chasing scenes. If that sounds boring to you I guess you shouldn't see this movie, but all I can say is I'm glad I did.

And what about the film's title, "The War Is Over"? What does it mean? That might be open for intrepretation but I think it means Diego is going to stop the fight. In the film we hear him talk about settling down in Madrid with Marianne. He asks her if she would join him. He doesn't think he is really being useful to the fight. The war may be over for Diego but the battle wages on.

Bottom-line: Alain Resnais' "The War Is Over" is a thought provoking well acted film. In my opinion it is Resnais' best work. August 12, 2005

Perhaps the worst movie ever

I am thrilled that a DVD version of this nightmare has been released. After 36 long years I am able to show my friends what I have so often argued is the most horrible example of film making in all human history. I recently viewed it for the second time, the first being in 1966. Perhaps I was too young then to appreciate the subtleties or nuances of the film, its textures and complexities. Gimme a break, this thing plays worse now than it did then.

The reason I firmly believe that this is the worst flick I've ever seen is that it actually takes itself seriously: It has a respected director (Resnais), stars the greatest French actor ever (Montand), and introduces the beautiful and talented Genevieve Bujold (oh those eyes). Throw in Ingrid Thulin (Bergman freaks know this talented woman) and the movie shouldn't miss. It does, it is just bad.

There's a story in there somewhere wrapped around a few steamy (for the times) sex scenes and a delightful bit of on-camera puking (always fun). Mostly the movie tries to insult your sensibilities while engaging in a pointless and confusing character study of a frustrated middle-aged anti-Franco Marxist. The problem is the guy is shallow, there is no character to study. The rest of the people are very `60s Euro-lefties, very chic, and very uninteresting to all but themselves (and Resnais) in 1966 - I can't begin to imagine how boring they must be to modern audiences. If you want to be entertained while battling against old right-wing Spanish dictators grab yourself some Hemingway.

When we left that theater in 1966 my date turned to me laughingly and said that if I lived a good life God would never make me see a movie that bad again. Apparently I've lived a good life.

Listen, I've sat through Ed Wood productions and Anne-Margaret's "Kitten With a Whip" but "La Guerre Est Finie" remains the worst flick I've ever seen. September 7, 2002

No peace.

*La Guerre Est Finie* is about a Spanish revolutionary (Yves Montand) in his 3rd decade of agitating against Franco. For the nonce, he lives in France and has two mistresses. Ripe enough for you? Well, the movie was directed by Alain Resnais, a man who will never be confused with Ian Fleming. Therefore, don't expect an action flick or a spy spoof. Instead of shootouts, Resnais gives us the meticulous altering of passport photos. Instead of glamorous casinos, he shows the interior of a small garage of some guy's house and nondescript bedrooms. Instead of martinis, there's coffee. Instead of tuxedos, there's cardigans. You get the idea. But all the mundanities only serve to provide a depressingly realistic context for the movie's deeper themes, the main one being Time as destroyer. Time has certainly beat up Montand's Diego: his face is pock-marked and sagging. (It contrasts nicely to then-newcomer Genevieve Bujold's peppy little-girl face.) There's a grievous sense in *La Guerre Est Finie* that the world is running down, grinding to a halt, like Diego's comrades who keel over from coronaries. And when the clockwork finally breaks down someday, no one will be where they need to be. (Yes, Franco's dictatorship will even pass away, but too late for the characters in the story. Time destroys EVERYTHING.) This is one of the best films of the French New Wave by its best practitioner -- indispensable for movie lovers everywhere. Highest possible rating. The score, by the way, is one of the most beautiful ever put to film. [The DVD, by "Image Entertainment",[stink]s. The glories of Sacha Vierny's photography will remain obscured till this movie finally gets the Criterion Treatment (which it had better!). Yes yes, the movie is darkly composed, but not THIS darkly. No features, natch. Whatever. It's one of two Resnais films available on DVD, so I guess you'd better get it anyway.] April 9, 2002

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