Despite some interesting situations, this film is curiously uninvolving. I think a lot of it is because there is so little emotion in the characters. Additionally, many of the action scenes are awfully detached. It's not a bad film...but one that SHOULD have been more exciting.
The film begins with Clement (Jean-Louis Trintignant) behaving like a jerk towards his lovely wife, Anne (Romy Schneider). Through the rest of the film, you'll find Clement detestable...a real jerk! Later, Anne and her housekeeper find a hidden package in the flat--a bazooka! Now you'd THINK Anne would call the police. Instead, she just asks her husband about it. It turns out he's a member of a right-wing extremist group* and he tells her to tell no one...and she doesn't! Later, after an unsuccessful assassination attempt, Clement is on the run and takes Anne with him. Why Anne goes is a bit vague...but she does go. They stay at an old friend's house in the country. Paul is NOT an extremist nut and has no idea what Clement has done. Later, when he learns, he tells Clement to leave and he does...leaving the sick Anne behind. During the time he is gone into hiding again, Paul and Anne fall in love and Anne creates a new life for herself. However, when the evil Clement returns, she tells him...and his very fragile ego cannot handle it. What's next for this sociopath and his odd wife?
So why do I only give this film a 5? Well, a lot of it just doesn't make a lot of sense. Why does Anne put up with Clement? You could argue she's abused and scared of him. But then why would she enrage this wanted man by telling him she and Paul are lovers? It isn't like he's NOT a violent man! And, when Clement comes after Paul, why doesn't Paul go to the police?! Again, Clement is a sociopath...and a very dangerous one...so why keep these threats to yourself?! It just didn't seem convincing and took an interesting basic idea and made the least of it.
The film begins with Clement (Jean-Louis Trintignant) behaving like a jerk towards his lovely wife, Anne (Romy Schneider). Through the rest of the film, you'll find Clement detestable...a real jerk! Later, Anne and her housekeeper find a hidden package in the flat--a bazooka! Now you'd THINK Anne would call the police. Instead, she just asks her husband about it. It turns out he's a member of a right-wing extremist group* and he tells her to tell no one...and she doesn't! Later, after an unsuccessful assassination attempt, Clement is on the run and takes Anne with him. Why Anne goes is a bit vague...but she does go. They stay at an old friend's house in the country. Paul is NOT an extremist nut and has no idea what Clement has done. Later, when he learns, he tells Clement to leave and he does...leaving the sick Anne behind. During the time he is gone into hiding again, Paul and Anne fall in love and Anne creates a new life for herself. However, when the evil Clement returns, she tells him...and his very fragile ego cannot handle it. What's next for this sociopath and his odd wife?
So why do I only give this film a 5? Well, a lot of it just doesn't make a lot of sense. Why does Anne put up with Clement? You could argue she's abused and scared of him. But then why would she enrage this wanted man by telling him she and Paul are lovers? It isn't like he's NOT a violent man! And, when Clement comes after Paul, why doesn't Paul go to the police?! Again, Clement is a sociopath...and a very dangerous one...so why keep these threats to yourself?! It just didn't seem convincing and took an interesting basic idea and made the least of it.