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Netchaïev est de retour
1991 Crime / Thriller
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Credits
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Director: Jacques Deray
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Script: Dan Franck, Jacques Deray, based on a novel by Jorge Semprún
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Photo: Yves Angelo
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Music: Claude Bolling
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Cast: Yves Montand (Pierre Marroux),
Vincent Lindon (Daniel Laurencon,
“Netchaïev”),
Patrick Chesnais (Marc Leloy),
Miou-Miou (Brigitte),
Carolina Rosi (Sonsoles),
Jean-Claude Dauphin (Philippe Martel),
Mireille Perrier (Sylvie),
Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu (Luis Perez),
Natacha Acker (Béatrice),
Maxime Leroux (Élie),
Jean-Marie Winling (Lacourt),
Pierre Debauche (Le ministre)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 110 min
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Aka: Netchaiev Is Back
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Summary
Netchaïev, a notorious political activist-cum-terrorist, was believed to have died
in Gibraltar in 1985 under mysterious circumstances. Five years later, he reappears
in Paris, apparently to embark on a fresh campaign of murder and mayhem. The news
of his return comes as a shock to his former friends, who have now become respectable
figures in society, and his father, Pierre Marroux, who occupies a senior position in
the French security services. However, far from wanting to resume his murderous
exploits, Netchaïev wants to make a fresh start. He offers to give details
of an impending terrorist attack in exchange for a full pardon. Unfortunately, Netchaïev’s
unexpected return poses a threat to the French government which has some murky secrets
to protect…
Review
This convoluted political thriller sees Yves Montand (in his last film appearance but
one) again playing the part of a tough law enforcer up against a dangerous opponent within
a corrupt political establishment. It’s effectively a return to the hard-boiled
French neo-polar of the late 1970s, although the formula clearly has less relevance to
cinemagoers of the early 1990s. There’s an excellent performance from Vincent Lindon,
whose portrayal of a disillusioned terrorist is appropriately ambiguous and strangely
sympathetic, and Montand is still impressive in his twilight years. However, the
supporting cast are under-utilised and struggle to make any impact on the narrative.
As ever, Jacques Deray is masterful at directing the action sequences, which are
well-paced, suspenseful and shocking without being gratuitously over-the-top. Unfortunately,
the film’s straightforward drama passages feel laboured and drawn-out, hampered by limp
dialogue and weak characterisation. So, whilst the film has some appeal (the Montand-Lindon
billing being its main selling point), it does not compare all that favourably with Deray’s
better known films – classics such as Borsalino
(1970) and Flic
Story (1975).
© James Travers 2005
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