La Loi du survivant

Adapted from his novel LES AVENTURIERS from which was made this film and the other movie also called LES AVENTURIERS. The latest was made by Robert Enrico, different from the book but not on the spirit, the atmosphere. This very one, I can't tell if it is faithful to the novel on the form but it is also on the spirit. Michel Constantin is outstanding in this role, co close to what he really was in actual life. This actor did not play, HE WAS his characters. This is a manhood tale where a woman has a great importance, a very unusual, surprising story, rather gloomy, bittersweet but awesome for movie buffs in the sixties French nostalgia. Michel Constantin was the perfect character for any novel or film from José Giovanni. He was in LE DEUXIEME SOUFFLE, UN NOMME LA ROCCA, LA SCOUMOUNE, LE TROU - his first feature as an actor - LES GRANDES GUEULES - from a Jose Giovanni's novel and also directed by Enrico. He also was the perfect character for a novelist as Pierre Lesou, the author of LE DOULOS. Constantin played in L'ARDOISE and UN CONDE, both from Lesou. He unfortunately never played in any Auguste Le Breton's adaptation, as Andre Pousse, except a more than supporting character in LE CLAN DES SICILIENS, the photograph for a passport. Back to this one, the score muscian is again François de Roubaix, who belonged to the Giovanni, Enrico's "gang". Most, if not ANY, of the films involving Giovanni or Enrico were scored by François de Roubaix. Check.... To summarize, this film is a pure gem and jewel to me.

The first thing to bear in mind is that Giovanni's novel "les aventuriers" spawned TWO movies :the first one was the eponymous (and excellent) Robert Enrico's movie.As the latter did not transfer the last part of the novel,Jose Giovanni decided to adapt it and to make it his first effort ever.Giovanni's career had brilliantly begun with Jacques Becker's sensational "le trou" the screenplay of which he wrote.And as Michel Constantin was part of the Becker's cast(it's arguably his best part),it was only natural that they teamed up again .

This is probably what happens to Lino Ventura's character,the "survivor" of "les aventuriers".But it's not really a sequel.Actually Giovanni completely ignores Enrico's film and did the right thing to do: a completely different movie.People who know Giovanni's most commercial works of the seventies might be taken aback by this incredible intellectual thriller.It is essentially a wandering through the splendid landscapes of Corsica .The pace is very slow .The duel lasts about ten minutes.

Giovanni's lucky break was to cast Alexandra Stewart as the heroine.She has everything :beauty,sensitiveness and above all mystery. All the movie revolves around her and the audience is most of the time completely lost.Why?What ? When?Who? Until the very last minutes we're still wondering why.And scenes that seem irrelevant (close shots of her face full of fear in the strange house where she prostitutes herself ;the cause for the duel; the strange attitude of the family) are necessary to prepare the final unexpected twist.

Although filmed in daylight,in the luminous island,"la loi du survivant" is actually a graveyard where the hero's memories -which come back for a short flashback- and his loyalty clash with the girl's doom.

The first Giovanni movies were probably his best (see also "le rapace" where he finds back LIno Ventura ,the "survivor" of "les aventuriers" and even "dernier domicile connu").The precedent user has already praised it.I can only agree with him.

NB:François De Roubaix's score is ,as usual, excellent.So is Hughes Aufray's song "près du coeur les blessures" (near the heart,wounds never close)

I am looking for a DVD or video of this film made in 1967. This is a thriller with an excellent plot. All happened in the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean sea. It is all about the relationship of a tourist, whose name was Stan coming to the island, with a local nice, blonde, tall woman, Hèléne. The film showed the difficulties of this relationship and external factors and people causing the problems. Action is seen all over, interesting scenes in hilly areas of Corsica are seen as well as the beauty of this island. One will never guess where the truth is and what was the cause for all these fights against a simple tourist, only at its end one will realize what's going on. The guilty people were not so while the innocents either.

José Giovanni directed the film and wrote its plot. This French director, born coincidentally in Corsica, is not very famous but he directed some very original films. Let's hope that this brief comment may revive this interesting film with the editing and production of a multilingual DVD.

A movie like no other, not cinema with camouflage feelings, but a real encounter with the character played by Michel Constantin, a simple and dignified man committed to the values ​​of friendship, unvarnished simply true. All the movie is the encounter from the viewers to this movie actor, my best one when I was teenager, and in this movie particularly, he plays a man that will remain forever etched in our memory. This movie is a precious moment. Too bad that no DVD of VHS are currently available... Is it doomed to be lost in time? I hope not. José Giovanni always knew right talk when he sought to his public, a director that I really appreciate for his feelings appropriateness.