La Guerre est finie (1966) - film review

Diego Mora is a long-serving member of the Spanish communist party, now acting as a clandestine go-between for activists living in exile in France and covert militants operating in Spain.  At a border control on his return to France, he is nearly arrested, but he saved by his forged documents.   Arriving in Paris, he meets Nadine, the daughter of a sympathiser, and then rejoins his former lover Marianne, who wants to settle down with him.  Diego is frustrated in the way events are turning out in his country and voices opposition to plans for a national strike and terrorist activity.  Inwardly, he seems to feel the war has been lost.  Then he realises that he has caused the arrest of his colleagues in Spain and must return to his country to prevent further arrests...

The stylish ambiguity and other-worldliness, achieved through some stunning photography, in Resnais’ early films would appear inappropriate for a political thriller.  Yet, in La Guerre est finie, Resnais’ most political film, the director applies his unique cinematographic vision to create one of the most startling political films of the Twentieth Century.  The film is a radical departure from the standard fictional political drama and evokes a disturbing sense of realism, in spite of, or because of, the unusual nature of Resnais’ cinematography.

The script for the film was written by Jorge Semprún, a life-long member of the Spanish communist party, who was himself active in opposing the Franco regime which divided his country for over twenty years (following the Spanish civil war).  There is no doubt that it Semprún’s intimate familiarity with the subject which gives the film is sense of authenticity. There is never any doubt in the mind of the spectator that this film is relating real-life events.

The film stars one of France’s best-loved personalities, the actor-singer Yves Montand.  With his world-weary features and wistful persona, the actor is perfect for the part of Diego, and he gives one of his best screen performances.

As in all of Resnais’ films, particularly his early works, the film lacks a strong narrative thrust, something which will irritate viewers expecting to watch a conventional political thriller.  Resnais makes little attempt to embellish the raw drama he is depicting in his film.  Instead, he creates a unique portrait of a real-life political drama, or, more specifically, of one man who is caught up in such a drama.  The film is much closer to Resnais’ evocative dream-like L’Année dernière à Marienbad than to the conventional political drama, having the artistry of the former but lacking the direction and momentum of the latter.  In spite of that, La Guerre est finie is one of Resnais’ most provocative works, a captivating and haunting piece of cinema.

© James Travers 2001

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