Le Silencieux (1973)
Directed by Claude Pinoteau

Film Review

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.

Film Synopsis

A party of Soviet nuclear scientists are visiting London when one of their number, the distinguished physicist Haliakov, is involved in a road accident.  Shortly after being taken away by ambulance, Haliakov is pronounced dead and his mortal remains are soon disposed of.  In fact, this is nothing more than a ruse, since Haliakov is now safely in the hands of the British security services.  It transpires that Haliakov is really Clément Tibère, a prominent French scientist who ended up being forced to work for the Soviets.  MI5 agrees to let him go providing he reveals to them the identity of two Russian spies that are known to him.

The prospect of a new life is too strong to resist so Tibère does what is required of him, knowing that as he does so he is putting himself on the KGB hit list - if it ever gets out that he is still alive.  Equipped with a new identity, he heads for France to join his former girlfriend, Jeanne.  Tibère's concerns over his future safety appear to be vindicated when Monsieur Chat, the French agent assigned to protect, him is killed in an ambush.  Fleeing to Geneva, the scientist sets about unmasking another Soviet agent, the famous conductor Boris Korodine...