Le Vol du Sphinx (1984) - film review

A Frenchman lives a self-imposed exile in Morocco, transporting goods between villages in his biplane, the Sphinx.  One day, he meets a young woman and an older man, stranded in the desert when their jeep runs out of petrol.  He agrees to ferry them to the nearest village, unaware that he has allowed himself to become embroiled in a dangerous web of intrigue...

This drawn-out thriller distinguishes itself mainly for its evocative photography of the Moroccan desert landscapes in which the drama unfolds.  Acting performances are lacklustre, with Miou-Miou easily outstaged by the charismatic Alain Souchon.  The plot takes some while to reveal itself and when it becomes clear what is happening it resembles little more than a second-rate melodrama, populated with weak characterisation and over-reliance of graphical physical violence to convey a sense of menace.

© James Travers 2000

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