Le Silencieux
1973 Thriller / Drama
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Summary
Shortly after a delegation of Russian nuclear physicists arrives in London, one of their
number, a man named Haliakov, is abducted by the British security services. Haliakov
is in truth Clément Tibère, a French scientist who was coerced into working
for the Russians some years ago. The British agents compel Tibère to work
for them, revealing the identity of two notorious spies. Tibère realises
that his life is now in peril, that it is only a matter of time before the KGB takes its
revenge…
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.
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