Film Review
Le Secret, a modest but meticulously crafted psychological thriller
from director Robert Enrico, is an early example of the neo-polar that
would become popular in France in the mid-to-late 1970s, reflecting
public cynicism for business and the State institutions at a time when
high-profile judicial-political scandals were rife.
Adapted from Francis Ryck's novel
Le Compagnon indésirable, the film
mirrors growing concerns in France over the power of the State, particularly
in regard as to how far it would go to cover up embarrassing secrets. Government
attempts to suppress details of the French army's exploits during the Algerian War
(which resulted in a number of books and films being banned)
merely added to these anxieties.
The film makes a striking contrast with Enrico's grander films which
tend to get carried away with their cinematic artistry and opulence - notably
Les Grandes gueules (1966)
and
Le Vieux fusil (1975).
Impressive as these films are, they are nowhere near as compelling as
Le Secret, something the latter film owes to the arresting interplay between the
three central characters, convincingly portrayed by three of the
most high-profile French actors of the decade: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Philippe
Noiret and Marlène Jobert. By focusing the drama on the main
protagonists and reining in his directorial excesses, Enrico makes this
a genuinely involving thriller - one of the most chilling and memorable of the decade.
Ennio Morricone's eerie score adds immensely to the unsettling mood of the piece.
© James Travers 2001
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Next Robert Enrico film:
Le Vieux fusil (1975)
Film Synopsis
In a mysterious secure establishment, a prisoner named David effects a remarkable escape.
Convinced that he is being pursued, he flees to the open countryside. Here, he meets
a reclusive writer, Thomas, who lives in an isolated country house with his young wife,
Julia. The couple offer to take David in for a few days and the fugitive reluctantly
agrees to stay. Having formed a bond of trust with Thomas, David reveals that he
is on the run from the authorities, and that he has discovered a state secret that puts
all of their lives in danger. Although Thomas believes the mysterious stranger,
Julia is more suspicious and soon becomes convinced that he is a madman who will kill
both of them...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.