Film Review
Ismaël Ferroukhi's follow-up to his acclaimed debut feature
Le Grand Voyage (2004) lifts the
lid on some unfamiliar aspects of the Nazi occupation of France,
reminding us that it was not only patriotic French nationals who risked
their necks by serving in the Resistance. In his 2009 film
L'Armée du crime, Robert
Guédiguian gave a moving account of the participation of Jewish
immigrants in the struggle against the Nazi occupier; in his similarly
themed film, Ferroukhi focuses on the contribution made by Muslim
immigrants hailing from Algeria and other countries in North
Africa.
Les Hommes libres offers an
interesting perspective on the Occupation, but it is somewhat biased
as it downplays the extent to which the Nazis were supported by the Muslims (on the expectation that
Germany would hasten the end of
French colonialism in Africa).
On the plus side, the film is authentically designed and well
photographed, in a way that vividly evokes the era in which it is set,
palpably conveying the constant threat of betrayal and arrest which hung
everyone living in the French capital at the time. Having
demonstrated his capacity to taken on ambiguous, multi-faceted roles in
Jacques Audiard's
Un prophète (2009),
Tahar Rahim would seem to be the ideal casting choice for the central
role of Younes Ben Daoud, and he doesn't disappoint.
Rahim's conflicted portrayal of young man torn between his natural
instincts for survival and his compassion for others provides the film
with the focus it desperately needs, although the actor is let down by
a script which prevents us from getting close enough to the character
to genuinely engage with him, let alone understand his motivations.
Michael Lonsdale proves to be a surprisingly effective choice for the
role of the courageous Muslim leader Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit, investing
the part (as only an actor of his experience and calibre can) with the
dignity and gravitas that it demands. The charismatic Palestinian
actor Mahmud Shalaby, recently revealed in Keren Yedaya's
Jaffa (2009), has the most
challenging role, that of the iconic Algerian cabaret singer Salim
Halali. In spite of the script weaknesses, Shalaby succeeds in
bringing his character to life, subtly revealing singer's inner
torments in a measured and enigmatic performance. It is the
arresting contributions from the three principals (in particular
the intriguing rapport between Rahim and Shalaby) which helps to
sustain our interest in the film, compensating for the lack of
inspiration on both the writing and directing fronts.
Les Hommes libres may not be as
riveting and balanced as Guédiguian's film, but it is engaging enough and
offers another valuable insight into France's period of occupation.
© James Travers 2013
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Film Synopsis
1942, Paris under Nazi occupation. Younes is a young Algerian
immigrant who makes a living on the black market. Arrested by the
police, he agrees to work for them as a spy at the Paris mosque.
The police suspect that the senior clerics at the mosque are furnishing
Jews and resistance members with forged papers. At the mosque, Younes
comes into contact with an Algerian singer, Salim Halali,
with whom he develops an instant rapport. Aware of the
risks he is taking, Younes decides to renege on his arrangement with
the police and instead allies himself with the resistance cause....
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.