Tropa de Choque: Um Homem a Mais

Following his dazzling directorial debut with 'Compartiment Tuers' Costa-Gavras was approached by producer Harry Saltzman. The director professed a wish to film 'The Human Condition' by André Malraux but unsurprisingly Saltzman showed reluctance! Instead they settled on a film about the French Resistance based upon the novel by Jean-Pierre Chabrol who had served in the communist-led FTP maquis.

The plot concerns a group of Resistance fighters who have succeeded in their mission to help twelve men condemned to death by the Germans to escape from prison. Much to their surprise however there is a thirteenth! Is he a spy, a collaborator or a plant? As the pursuing Germans close in it is decided that he must be eliminated.........

The film boasts an impressive cast list including Jean-Claude Brialy and Gérard Blain who had first appeared together in Claude Chabrol's 'Le beau Serge' whilst veteran Charles Vanel again effortlessly steals most of his scenes. Bruno Cremer and Jacques Perrin both play roles not entirely dissimilar to those they had played in the excellent '317th Platoon' but the contrast between that film and this could not be greater. This is more gung-ho and derring-do with a bit of comedy relief thrown in. By far the most interesting part is the 'extra man' of the superlative Michel Piccoli. His character has been written not as a villain but in the director's words as 'a lost one who has chosen not to engage or take sides.' This obviously undermines the myth of the unified resistance of the French and no doubt contributes to the film's commercial failure. Perhaps Saltzman should have gone with the director's first choice!

The film itself never stops to draw breath, contains plenty of rapidly delivered dialogue and the thrilling action sequences had to be shot quickly by Jean Tournier as they only has one camera! Christian Gaudin's contribution towards the editing is particularly impressive.

Costa-Gavras' meticulous approach is never more apparent than in the concluding scenes on the Alés Bridge. The final shot, once seen, is unlikely to be forgotten.

This was the second feature film made by Costa-Gavras, two years after his spectacular murder mystery THE SLEEPING CAR MURDERS (COMPARTIMENT TUERS, 1965; see my review) and two years before his third film, the famous Z (1969; see my review). It is not easy to find this rare film with subtitles, but I got it from Movie Detective. This film is non-stop action, and is made in a semi-documentary style. The maquis are always on the move or on the run, or both. The Germans are relentless with their masses of troops and their tanks. The two leading figures in the story are played by Bruno Cremer, a field commander of quick resolution, and Michel Piccoli, who is released from prison by the maquis by mistake, and has to go with them as "un homme de trop", meaning "an extra man' or "one man too many", hence the French title of the film which is "1 HOMME DE TROP". No one is certain whether he can be trusted. He makes strange pacifist comments, and he wears German boots. Did he steal them or was he given them as an informer? Should they kill him or keep him with them? What little plot exists in this meandering film concerns that dilemma. The film is based on a novel, but the novel must have been meandering as well. We see daring lightning raids on a prison (to release their men about to be executed) and on a tax office to seize funds. All of these and many more action scenes are daringly and successfully filmed and move with such rapidity that one wonders how the cameramen could keep up. From the point of view of crowd control and complex action management, this film is remarkable. It is shot mostly hand-held. (Indeed, how else could it have been done?) Most of it is on location in the French mountains, though one is never told exactly where. The film is a completely convincing depiction of what this kind of resistance fighting was really like. One's comrades drop like flies, as a handful of brave men try to outwit the massive German Occupation forces. In short, it is a study in heroism. Costa-Gavras was celebrating the struggle against the Nazis in France, and he succeeds in making us marvel at their determination and bravery. The spectacular cinematography at the very end of the film, and the events which take place then, are simply mind-boggling.

I, too, had a chance to watch this film for only once, and could never forget it, been even searching for a VHS copy but with no luck, agree with the other 2 reviewers' take on this matter, too many bad movies being released on DVD and Blu-Ray, but nobody want to pay attention on this one. Criterion Collection will release 2 great movies made by Costa-Gavras in May 2015, The Confession and State Of Siege , unfortunately "Un Homme De Trop" is not included, I really hope this film is not lost!! I had sent a request to Criterion Collection to make this film available, hope they will acknowledge it. If it's still being shown on TV, meaning at least there is 4x3 aspect ratio version of it, but no..I'd like to see it with original 2.35:1 ratio on Blu-Ray, please!!

"Un Homme De Trop" was shown in 2013 Champs-Elysees Film Festival stated as: "La projection du film très rare Un homme de trop de Costa-Gavras"

The projection of the very rare film of Costa-Gavras

!!! JUST IN It's coming out as part of Costa-Gavras Film Collection Vol.1 in Nov.

I can't say this film is my most favorite in the cinema history. But definitely i can say-this movie is number one in my most wanted list. I never was so depressed and unlucky, as searching for this old and very nice french film by Costa-Gavras. I failed to find this film. I heard this film is lost. Strange. It was showed in many countries and i still hope. Maybe in some country, some people or organizations still have a copy of it. This is one of the best films by Costa-Cavras. And one of the best war thrillers of all time. I would be more then grateful, if anybody can tell any link, any tips or idea: where and how to find and see this movie again.

The writer of the IMDb intro obviously did not watch the movie, as the enigmatic "homme de trop" played wonderfully by Michel Piccoli is not an enemy agent. And why is it labelled here as "shock troops" - an irrelevant title? This marvellous action movie has recently (march 2017) been screened in a restored version on French-German TV channel ARTE. Costa Gavras knows how to buld excitement and the editing is slick. A lot of resources must have gone into the movie which was an Italian-French co-production. The concluding battle with German forces features tanks, aircraft and hundreds of infantry - all very impressive. The closing shot was filmed at the impressive Viaduc de Garabit in the south of France which has been used in several other movies.