French Connection II

A little while ago, I wrote a review here of the classic 1971 movie The French Connection. The sequel, French Connection II, released in 1975, is a creditable effort, if lacking some of the magic of its predecessor. Of course, direct comparisons have to be qualified, as the second picture was entirely fictional, and had different writers and a different director (John Frankenheimer).

The story carries on from where The French Connection left off, Popeye Doyle travelling to France on the trail of the Charnier character, who it transpires had eluded capture. Naturally, there is more of a French or European flavour to this one, and I like the fact that bits of the dialogue are in the local lingo, adding a touch of authenticity. Much of the early part of the film deals with Doyle's difficulties in coming to terms with the French culture and addressing the language barrier.

As a matter of fact, Doyle's struggles in dealing with the French police, and in particular Barthelemy (Bernard Fresson), form a sizeable portion of the narrative. An uneasy relationship prevails, with Doyle's abrasive personality and pugnacious approach clashing with French methods. The more seedy parts of Marseille, and also the waterfront area, make for good settings. The chase scenes (on foot) are also impressive.

For me the heart of the film is Doyle's capture by the villains, and his subsequent agonies as he experiences drug withdrawal under the supervision of Barthelemy. Some of the scenes are quite harrowing and disturbing,  Doyle's ordeal being inter-cut with the frantic efforts of the French police to find him. Even more than the first film this one starkly illustrates the pitiless nature of the drug trade, and the extreme measures to which all parties are prepared to resort.

It seems to me that the nature of the storyline in this picture permits greater scope for Gene Hackman to display his acting range, especially the "cold turkey" sequences. There may be less grit and suspense here than in the original movie, but the "human" aspects largely make up for this, particularly the often bizarre and acrimonious exchanges between Doyle and Barthelemy.

The scenes which happen towards the close of the movie are spectacular, exciting and action-packed.I really enjoy this movie. All things considered, a worthy sequel.

Carlos (2010 movie)

I have long been fascinated by the European "urban guerilla" scene of the 1970s, although I have not fallen prey to the temptation to embrace "terrorist chic".  In fact, I have found that the longer one studies the subject, the more one becomes convinced of the repugnance of the methods employed by the exponents. however sympathetic one may be to some of their political grievances.

The record as regards celluloid depictions of that era is mixed. They either glorify the perpetrators of foul deeds, or water down and distort the content to such a degree that the point is almost entirely missed. One which is superior to most is "Carlos", a French movie about Carlos the Jackal, released in 2010, and directed by Olivier Assayas.

There is a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie, saying that this should be viewed as a fiction, and that the relationships between characters have been fictionalized.  Even allowing for this, however, this is a stylish and pretty comprehensive effort, and the narrative is largely consistent with most of the written accounts which I have encountered over the years.

The movie takes up the story around 1973, just before Carlos arrives back in Europe.One of the first things which becomes noticeable is the "aesthetic" of the film. It doesn't try too hard to achieve visual period authenticity, and strangely by dint of this is more convincing than many movies which I could mention. Throughout the music employed is distinctly "non-period" too, another factor which prevents the film becoming mired in the need to be historically accurate to the nth degree.

The film is held together by the confident and plausible performance of Edgar Ramirez in the title role. It would have been all too easy to slip into some "cartoonish" perception of what the character was, his appearance, persona and mannerisms. Ramirez is augmented by an array of strong performances by those playing the supporting and minor characters

The well-known events from the period 1973-1975 are depicted here pretty much as they have been related and analysed by numerous journalists and historians. For me, the most valuable and fresh sections of the film were those which dealt with the story from the late 1970s onwards, including the dealings with various Eastern bloc governments and intelligence services, and the repercussions of the end of the Cold War. These areas have less direct association with the supposed Carlos "mythology", which largely stems from the period 1973-76.

This is not simply a catalogue of incidents and operations. Some of the underlying causes espoused by the broader global revolutionary movement, and the desire to emancipate oppressed people, are accorded an airing. Many of these problems remain unresolved and pressing. Once or twice in the movie we also see highlighted the fact that some people embody radical ideals without resorting to violent means, and without descending into greed and vanity.

The constantly shifting loyalties and agendas in the Middle East, and the corresponding attitudes of the superpowers, are a constant backdrop. The picture does not lose sight of the geo-political landscape which influenced the events in the film, and conversely their effect on that landscape.

The portrayal of "the German connection" gives a good idea of the extent of their role, even though they were generally overshadowed by other similar groups. There is a real cosmopolitan flavour to the film, with the action moving between various European capitals, and occasionally to the Middle East. The people on all sides appeared to subsist largely on cigarettes and hard liquor! If the depiction of the practices of some of the security forces is accurate, then I would earnestly hoped that things have changed in the past few decades....

Later in the movie, some of the discordant voices are pinpointed; those who felt that the "revolution" was losing its soul, deviating from its original ideals and aims in its morality and its modus operandi. The Entebbe raid, and the plight of "non-combatants" are used as examples. Most of the participants started out with, on the surface, praiseworthy ideals, but over time differing interpretations emerged, as regards which tactics were effective or warranted in seeking to change the world. Some were occasionally scared or expressed scruples, and the movie does not pretend that they were all above humane conceptions. Those who began to harbour doubts and misgivings were trapped. There was usually no going back, once one went "underground", as they knew where the bodies were buried, both literally and metaphorically. The real enemies became ex-comrades.

But enough of my rambling! This film works on several levels, as an absorbing thriller, and as a catalyst for thinking about some intractable issues. Well worth watching.



 

The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

I have something of an aversion to much modern fiction, but in recent times I have become acquainted with some works which are widely regarded as "classics", going back as far as the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, including those written by, among others, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Alexandre Dumas.

The latter's The Count of Monte Cristo found its way on to my Kindle, but only recently did I have the inclination to tackle it.  I am glad that I did...

The first thing to say about The Count of Monte Cristo is that it is quite complex, and very long!  The former quality possibly makes it less than ideally suited to the Kindle format, as it might be necessary to regularly refer back to an earlier chapter to clarify a detail or two. This is more easily accomplished with one of those antiquated paper books in one's hand!

It is rather easy, whilst reading this book, to become a little over-awed and confused by the sheer amount of detail which one feels obliged to absorb and consign to the near-memory, but any such misgivings will turn out to be unfounded, because the story unravels in such a way that everything makes sense.

In a nutshell, the story centres on a young man from the south of France, who is wrongfully imprisoned, suffering from a conspiracy of sorts.  After dramatically escaping captivity, he decides to make good on his vows to exact revenge on those antagonists who engineered his misfortune.

The period in which the novel is set spans from the tail-end of the Napoleonic wars to some years later. Much of it takes in the intrigues involving several families who are central to the Parisian social scene, often on opposite sides of the feverish political fence of the times.

Part of the fascination of the book for me was its depiction of a particular period in history, one during which Europe was in a state of flux, where the foundations of the established order were being disturbed by the challenge posed by new ideas and forces.  The juxtaposition of high society with the seamier side of life is also quite affecting.

The way in which various characters and strands of the overall story unerringly converge on this social milieu may strike some people as a little implausible or far-fatched, but the increasingly rapid pace and air of suspense eventually render such concerns lightweight. I found myself trying to work out precisely how this was all going to end, and thought I had solved the riddle, but even when the answers emerged, they were still very dramatic, and not entirely anticipated.

It is tempting I guess to regard The Count of Monte Cristo as an allegory on "good versus evil", or the notion of "divine justice", but I think that would be an over-simplification.  For me, questions were posed which related to the issue of whether such things as revenge or retribution can ever occur in isolation, or in a vacuum,or be proportionate. Towards the end of the tale even the central character undergoes moments of self-doubt and remorse, realizing the distress which some of his actions have caused, and not just to those who were complicit in his unjust incarceration.

A long and demanding read then, but definitely one to be recommended....