Le Silencieux is a French thriller film first released in 1973, directed by Claude Pinoteau.  The film is based on a novel by Francis Ryck and stars Lino Ventura, Leo Genn, Suzanne Flon, Robert Hardy and Lea Massari.  It has also been released under the title: Escape to Nowhere.  Our overall rating for this film is: good.


Shortly after a delegation of Russian nuclear physicists arrives in London, one of their number, a man named Haliakov, is abducted by the British security services.  Haliakov is in truth Clément Tibère, a French scientist who was coerced into working for the Russians some years ago.  The British agents compel Tibère to work for them, revealing the identity of two notorious spies.  Tibère realises that his life is now in peril, that it is only a matter of time before the KGB takes its revenge…

This stylish albeit pretty run-of-the-mill suspense thriller was the first film to be directed by Claude Pinoteau, who is perhaps best known for his 1980s hit La Boum.  The film will appeal to devotees of the classic French polar and fans of actor Lino Ventura alike.  Although well-paced and visually impressive, the film is not without its faults.  The narrative is generally weak, falling back too often on familiar stereotypes and standard clichés of the genre.  However, this is more than made up for by some masterful cinematography and a typically robust performance from Ventura.  Other things to watch out for are a striking – and all too brief – contribution from Léa Massari and the greatly admired English actor Robert Hardy.

© James Travers 2004

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