Netchaïev est de retour
1991 Crime / Thriller   

 

Review
This convoluted political thriller sees Yves Montand (in his last film appearance but one) again playing the part of a tough law enforcer up against a dangerous opponent within a corrupt political establishment.  It’s effectively a return to the hard-boiled French neo-polar of the late 1970s, although the formula clearly has less relevance to cinemagoers of the early 1990s.  There’s an excellent performance from Vincent Lindon, whose portrayal of a disillusioned terrorist is appropriately ambiguous and strangely sympathetic, and Montand is still impressive in his twilight years.  However, the supporting cast are under-utilised and struggle to make any impact on the narrative.

As ever, Jacques Deray is masterful at directing the action sequences, which are well-paced, suspenseful and shocking without being gratuitously over-the-top.  Unfortunately, the film’s straightforward drama passages feel laboured and drawn-out, hampered by limp dialogue and weak characterisation.  So, whilst the film has some appeal (the Montand-Lindon billing being its main selling point), it does not compare all that favourably with Deray’s better known films – classics such as Borsalino (1970) and Flic Story (1975).

© James Travers 2005

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  Director: Jacques Deray
Starring: Yves Montand, Vincent Lindon, Patrick Chesnais, Miou-Miou

Synopsis
Netchaïev, a notorious political activist-cum-terrorist, was believed to have died in Gibraltar in 1985 under mysterious circumstances.  Five years later, he reappears in Paris, apparently to embark on a fresh campaign of murder and mayhem.  The news of his return comes as a shock to his former friends, who have now become respectable figures in society, and his father, Pierre Marroux, who occupies a senior position in the French security services.   However, far from wanting to resume his murderous exploits, Netchaïev wants to make a fresh start.  He offers to give details of an impending terrorist attack in exchange for a full pardon.  Unfortunately, Netchaïev’s unexpected return poses a threat to the French government which has some murky secrets to protect…

Credits
  • Director: Jacques Deray
  • Script: Dan Franck, Jacques Deray, based on a novel by Jorge Semprún
  • Photo: Yves Angelo
  • Music: Claude Bolling
  • Cast: Yves Montand (Pierre Marroux), Vincent Lindon (Daniel Laurencon,   “Netchaïev”), Patrick Chesnais (Marc Leloy), Miou-Miou (Brigitte), Carolina Rosi (Sonsoles), Jean-Claude Dauphin (Philippe Martel), Mireille Perrier (Sylvie), Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu (Luis Perez), Natacha Acker (Béatrice), Maxime Leroux (Élie), Jean-Marie Winling (Lacourt), Pierre Debauche (Le ministre)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Runtime: 110 min
  • Aka: Netchaiev Is Back



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