marți, 20 august 2024

L'insoumis (1964)

L'insoumis (1964) or The Unvanquished (in Engish) an early gem in Delon's filmography, little seen but famous for one shot in pop culture, The Smiths' album cover The Queen is Dead (1986).

A political thriller/film noir/doomed existential love story by arthouse auteur Alain Cavalier (Therese), and the only film Delon did with him. It is the first from Delon's production company (his first too, Delbeau) and it seems the film was a flop then and AD had an injury during filming, so he wasn't so happy with it at that time. But the film grew-given the further influence of a final shot into an iconic cover I suggest you to go for it. This is a one to (re)visit, especially now with the final dissapearence of "Le fauve", le Grand Delon.

I found it on youtube in a very good copy, with burned English subtitles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7L4y9KduN8

There is a little bummer, this cut has 101 mins, and the original cut is supposed to have 114 mins.  I understand the cuts were made by the French then, this is the film released by MGM, with whom Delon had a 5 picture deal at the time. Alternate English title, Have I the Right To Kill.

Written by Cavalier with Jean Cau, based on a real story, though they said it's not (and got sued by the real judge person).

Exquisite black and white Cinematography by Claude Renoir.

Great music score by Georges Delerue.

1961. Delon is Thomas, a Luxembourgois Legionnaire, deserter from the Algerian war (still superhot at that time, this is even before Battle of Algiers-1966), is recruited by the OAS to kidnap a young judge (Lea Massari) that came from Lyon to Alger to defend two Arabic "terrorists". And he somehow falls for it...

cool review & info here


8 out of 10 / 4 out of 5


1 minute of making of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2jicS4Zfl0


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