Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on June 28, 2007 at 18:07:11

A cleverly filmed, mature study of an aging revolutionary and his unromantic, pessissimistic view of his profession.
Yves Montand gives a multi-layered, fascinating, and sophisticated reading of a character not unlike the Burton spy in "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold," but minus the theatrics.
In the end, Montand's character, Carlos, rejects violence in pursuit of strategy to bring down the brutal Franco regime in his home country of Spain. Could this possibly be a French aside to the Algerians?
Anyhow, taken at face value, this is a unique "thriller" and one which no fan of spy or intrigue films (or just good films, in general) should miss.
Why this effort isn't better known or appreciated is another one of those mysteries unfortunately too common regarding European films of this era.
Ingrid Thulin, of Bergman film fame, gives an outstanding performance as his patient love interest.