So, I was approaching this month’s comments with a bit of trepidation because I had already done a pretty exhaustive write-up of this one when I last viewed it in the “War Films” thread.
So I want to elaborate on two points/observations others have made.
First of all, this is what I was going to rhapsodize about deeply. This scene.
It really sums up what makes this film so taut, almost frighteningly so. Literally frightening as you watch it.
Because Philippe, your view to the narrative, can’t really trust or believe anyone or anything, neither can you. So every second that ticks on that clock in the waiting room means more possibilities pop into your head. More questions. More doubt. About everything; his colleague, their purpose there, what could happen.
It even continues into the barbershop later. Is the Barber going to turn him in? Will the
Gestapo bust in the room any second?
Which leads to this.
I made the same reference and even cited it. Because, the escape is so damned implausible given the granite-cold clockwork of the lack of the usual “heroic moment” to bail anyone out of any situation in this film, so contrary to what we see in every action film, suspense film, etc. It runs so counter to the logic of this world, that I immediately thought “this is a dream in the moment of death”, and just stayed in shock for a few minutes when it turned out not to be the case.
I really can’t ladle any other superlatives on this film. It is a unique masterpiece. What else is there to say?