Les maudits

With the Nazi occupation still fresh in everyone's minds, it was no surprise that France made a movie about the Nazis. To be certain, René Clément's movie is one of the all-time masterpieces. "Les maudits" ("The Damned" in English) is about a group of Nazis and their sympathizers who board a submarine to South America towards the end of WWII, hoping to escape the consequences of Germany's defeat. But when an accident forces them to make a stop and pick up a doctor, things take a different turn.

This is one of the most claustrophobic movies that I've ever seen. Other reviewers have noted the similarities to "Das Boot". Whatever the case, the movie brings up the issue of responsibility. One could make the argument that the doctor has enabled these Nazis' crimes, even if he acted unwillingly. After all, the people aboard this submarine were very much committed to fascism.

Anyway, a fine piece of work. I intend to see more of Clément's movies now.

Les maudits is directed by René Clément who also co-writes with Victor Alexandrov, Henri Jeanson, Jacques Rémy and Jacques Companéez. It stars Marcel Dalio, Henri Vidal, Florence Marly, Fosco Giachetti, Paul Bernard, Jo Dest, Michel Auclair and Anne Campion.

It's the last days of World War II and a submarine full of Nazi's and fellow collaborators head off from Oslo bound for South America. Hoping to evade capture by the Allies, their plans are stalled when a depth- charge attack injures one of the lady passengers causing them to stop off in France to kidnap a doctor. Once on board the doctor realises the gravity of his situation and uses his medical knowledge to spread slow- burn fret throughout the submarine; just as news of the armistice breaks…

A lesson in claustrophobic suspense and slow-burn psychological edginess, Les maudits riff's on the rats leaving a sinking ship with considerable success. It's a hot-bed of unsavoury characters, where political sin hangs heavy in the scratchy black and white atmosphere. Clément inserts the tension deftly whilst also garnering rich performances from the multilingual ensemble of actors. It all builds to a quite terrific ending that closes down the picture on suitably intelligent note.

It's a hard film to pin down but if you get the chance don't hesitate to view it. 8/10

Among all René Clément 's movies dealing with WW2 ("jeux interdits" "la père tranquille" "Paris brûle-t-il?" ...) "les maudits" is simply the best.It might possibly be also Clement's best and I hope many comments will join mine soon.

Nazis are escaping from Germany in 1945 now that the writing's on the wall.They will cross the sea in a submarine and take refuge in South America .Among them ,a general , a manufacturer and his wife (who's the general's lover),a scientist and his daughter,a French collaborator,a "Dritte Reich " die-hard and his minion .The woman is injured and they have no doctor.So,in Royan,they kidnap Guilbert who will be forced to share their desperate odyssey.

Never maybe René Clément's direction has been so impressive:he uses with stunning results the enclosed atmosphere ,where the characters are prisoners:the audience like them is panting for breath.When the doctor enters the place ,the cinematography suggests a descent into hell.

This submarine is really Hell's anteroom.Heightened sensibilities ,suppressed hatred,and reciprocal contempt show because of an unbearable lack of privacy .Guilbert ,the doctor (Vidal) understands that ,because he's not one of "them" ,his days are numbered ,and he's got to play cat and mouse to survive.So strong is the supporting cast that they overshadow the hero (Henri Vidal was a limited actor though).The strange homosexual couple ,Himmler's former henchman (Jo Dest) and his lover (Michel Auclair who gives the most fascinating performance of the whole movie;René Clément met him when he filmed "la Belle et le Bete" with Cocteau ,Auclair played la Belle's brother)are much more than secondary characters.It even includes SM (the nazi whips his minion).

When we leave the submarine-coffin,all we find is the dark waters of an empty sea.And when we call at a harbor in South Africa,we find ourselves in Marcel Dalio's (who was part of "Casablanca" supporting cast!)office,the Venitian blinds of which are carefully lowered;or -in a scene so strong that it rivals the best of Hitchcock-,in the darkness of a coffee warehouse.

This is a must-see movie,which was also remarkable for another reason:everyone speaks his language ,which was not that much obvious at the time,and it adds another suspenseful plus:the hero must not show he understands German.

Henri Jeanson whose sense of humor is intact despite this thoroughly desperate noir story wrote astounding lines:"it looks like Noah's Ark,says the general at the beginning of the film,now all we need is the deluge".

He will not be disappointed.You will not either if you try this Clément overlooked gem.

(1947) Les Maudits/ The Damned (In French with English subtitles) WAR DRAMA

Co-written and directed by René Clément, with the setting takes place just during the end of the second World War, with a U-boat full of Nazi sympathizers, including French and Italian passengers planning to settle in South America for a possible industrialization to support Hitler's cause. All is well until one of the female passengers injures herself with a bad head concussion, forcing them to go undercover to kidnap a French doctor, who eventually takes over to narrate his incredible voyage. Sometimes slow, but still fascinating that has never been done before.

This is director René Clément's third full-length film and already we are aware that he is a great 'film technician' with an eye for detail.

It takes place in a German U-471, a wooden replica of which Clément had built at the Victorine studios. His production designer, Paul Bertrand, has done a wonderful job in recreating the interior and the tracking shots through the vessel by Henri Alekan are impressive. Apparently Clément installed a tilting mechanism to reproduce as much as possible the movements of the submarine.

Essentially dealing with the wages of political sin, the characters almost without exception are a thoroughly unsavoury and ignoble bunch with no redeeming features which naturally makes them horribly fascinating. The only decent character is the doctor of Henri Vidal and therefore infinitely less interesting! I have no doubt that Paul Bernard, Jo Dest and Florence Marly enjoyed their roles immensely. Marcel Dalio gets top billing here and plays 'une crapule' with his usual aplomb.

The film is not without its weaknesses. The punch-ups on board are far from convincing and the various deaths of the protagonists are handled in a very cold, clinical manner. An undeniable strength is the dialogue by renowned Henri Jeanson.

Clément's powerful first feature 'La Bataille du Rail' was filmed in a semi-documentary style whilst this one seems to fall between two stools, those of fact and fiction, with varying results.

This director made fifteen films in twenty-five years a few of which are undisputed masterpieces. 'Les Maudits' is alas not one of them but did in fact beat off some pretty stiff competition to win Best Film at Cannes. Devotees of 'Psycho' please note the scene where a murdered man pulls down the curtain rail from the rod!