L'Insoumis
1964 Crime Thriller
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Credits
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Summary
When his wife leaves him, Thomas enlists in the French foreign legion and is posted to
Algeria. During the 1961 uprising, Thomas deserts and goes into hiding. One
day he receives an unexpected visit from his former lieutenant, who has also defected
and now works for the OAS, the group that opposes Algerian independence. Thomas
agrees to take part in a scheme to kidnap a lawyer, Dominique Servet, who is in Algiers
to defend some Algerian nationalists. Thomas finds himself attracted towards
his woman prisoner and, at the risk of his own life, helps her to escape back to France.
Injured in a fight with a fellow conspirator, Thomas struggles to make his way back home.
At first, he intends returning to his ex-wife and his infant child, but then he changes
his mind. He must see Dominique again. Little does he know that his enemies
are not far behind…
Review
Alain Cavalier directed this doom-laden mélange of thriller and romantic drama,
a pretty good example of 1960s French film noir. The film stars cinema icon Alain
Delon at a time when his popularity was very much in the ascendant. This was Alain
Cavalier’s second full-length film, after his well-received 1961 political thriller
Le Combat dans l’île, which featured
Delon’s real-life fiancée, Romy Schneider.
L’Insoumis not only afforded Alain Delon one of his meatiest acting roles – a marvellous portrayal of existentialist abandonment that is calculated to delight any film noir enthusiast – but it was also his first experience of producing a film (in partnership with Georges Beaume). The experience was not an entirely happy one – Delon sustained a number of physical injuries whilst making the film, the censors insisted on a number of cuts which compromised the film’s artistic integrity, and, on its release, the film received a distinctly lukewarm reception. It was Alain Delon’s first real taste of failure. The film’s subject matter may have been to blame for its less than stunning box office receipts. The Algerian War had dragged on for so long that virtually everyone in France was fed up with it and the outcome of the conflict was a humiliating defeat for a proud nation. This is a pity because L’insoumis is, in some ways, one of Cavalier’s most inspired works. He uses film noir style photography to great effect and the action scenes are masterfully staged. It also features Alain Delon at his near best, bringing pathos and humanity to a typically hard man role. © James Travers 2005 Write a review for this film... |
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