Army of Shadows - actors, characters and roles
All actors and their roles in the film "Army of Shadows"
L'Armée des ombres (1969)
Timing:
2:25 (145 min)
7.886/10
738
738
7.64/10
2481
2481
8.1/10
29000
29000
Actors and characters
Claude Mann
Character Claude Ullman / The Mask
Alain Dekok
Character Legrain
Alain Libolt
Character Paul Dounat
Jean-Marie Robain
Character Baron de La Ferté-Talloires
Albert Michel
Character Gendarme
Georges Sellier
Character Colonel Jarret du Plessis
Marco Perrin
Character Octave Bonnafous
Hubert de Lapparent
Character Aubert
Denis Sadier
Character Gestapo Prison Doctor
Colin Mann
Character Dispatcher
Anthony Stuart
Character Royal Air Force Major
Gérard-Antoine Huart
Character Prisoner
Percival Russel
Character German Soldier
Michel Dacquin
Character Condemned
Jacques Marbeuf
Character German Officer
Marcel Bernier
Character Customs Adjutant
What's left behind the scenes
- A film adaptation of Joseph Kessel's military novel, published in 1943.
- The film's epigraph: "Sad memories – I also greet you, for you are a part of my past." These are the words of playwright Georges Courteline, but his name is not listed in the credits.
- Melville effectively began his film career with a film about World War II, "Silence of the Sea" (1949). Twenty years later, having gained fame primarily as a director of crime films, he returned to the theme of war, adapting Joseph Kessel's autobiographical novel, a former member of the Resistance. He had dreamed of making "Army of Shadows" for a quarter of a century – since the first time he read the book.
- Melville said about the film: "Now I have said everything about the war."
- The scene of the German march on the Champs-Élysées was supposed to close the film. However, Melville decided to move it to the very beginning.
- Upon release, the film was subjected to harsh criticism. Melville was accused of being retrograde and of having made a "typically Gaullist propaganda piece." But for the director, the attitude of surviving members of the Resistance towards the film was more important. During a special screening organized for the author of "Army of Shadows" and his comrades, Melville carefully watched their reactions. At the end credits, Joseph Kessel could not hold back tears.
- For the second – and last – time, after "Second Breath" (1966), Lino Ventura played the main role in a Melville film.
- General Charles de Gaulle, or rather, his figure in the frame (since we never see his face) was played by Adrien Cayla-Legrand; his name is not listed in the credits.
- Ten years before Melville, Ventura and Paul Meriss already played members of the Resistance – in Julien Duvivier's drama “Marie-Octobre” (1959).
- After restoration, supervised by cinematographer Pierre Lhomme, Rialto Pictures released Melville’s long-forgotten film in limited American release in 2006. According to J. Hoberman, nearly 40 years after its premiere, the film finally ‘emerged from the mists of time as an epic tragedy and the apotheosis of the director’s career.’ The film grossed $741,733 in the US. The New York Film Critics Association named “Army of Shadows” the best foreign film of the year.
- In the book, Jean-François learns that his older brother Luc is also a member of the Resistance. He never finds this out in the film.
- Jean-François writes a denunciation against himself in order to end up in the same cell as Félix. This plotline does not exist in the book.
- Serge Reggiani also appears in Melville's films for the second and last time. However, if in 'Le Doulos' (1962) he played the main role, here he only plays a cameo – a barber who is effectively hiding Jef Costello, who has just escaped.
- The epigraph of the film: “Sad memories – I also welcome you, for you are part of my past.” These are the words of playwright Georges Courteline, but his name is not in the credits.
- With “Silence of the Sea” (1949), Melville practically began his career in cinema. Twenty years later, having become famous primarily as a director of crime films, he returned to the theme of war, adapting Joseph Kessel’s autobiographical novel, a former member of the Resistance. He had dreamed of directing “Army of Shadows” for a quarter of a century – since he first read the book.
- Melville said about the film: “Now I have said everything about the war.”
- After its release, the film was subjected to harsh criticism. Melville was accused of being retrograde and of making a “typically Hollywood propaganda piece.” But for the director, the attitude of the surviving members of the Resistance to the film was more important. During a special screening organized for the author of 'Army of Shadows' and his comrades, Melville carefully watched their reaction. At the end credits, Joseph Kessel could not hold back tears.
- For the second – and last – time, after 'Le Deuxième Souffle' (1966), Lino Ventura played the leading role in a Melville film.
- Ten years before Melville, Ventura and Paul Meurisse already played members of the Resistance – in Julien Duvivier’s drama 'Marie-Octobre' (1959).
- After restoration, overseen by cinematographer Pierre Lhomme, Rialto Pictures released Melville's long-forgotten film in limited American release in 2006. According to J. Hoberman, almost 40 years after its premiere, the film finally “emerged from the mists of time as an epic tragedy and the apotheosis of the director’s career.” The film grossed $741,733 in the US. The New York Film Critics Association named 'Army of Shadows' the best foreign film of the year.
- Serge Reggiani also appears in Melville's films for the second and last time. However, if in "Le Doulos" (1962) he played the main role, here he plays only a cameo – a hairdresser, effectively hiding Jervier who has just escaped.
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