The Last Metro (Le dernier métro)
Directed by Francois Truffaut
Written by Francois Truffaut, Suzanne Schiffman and Jean-Claude Grumberg
France/1980
IMDb page
First viewing/Criterion Channel
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Narrator: In the occupied zones, the curfew is imposed at 11:00 p.m. and for the Parisians it is terribly important not to miss the last metro.
This movie has all the essential elements but a tight script.
The setting is Paris during the height of the German occupation. As the film begins, Bernard Granger (Gerard Depardieu) is walking down the street and trying to pick up a woman on his way to start a new acting gig at the Montmartre theater. The theater had been operated by director Lucas Steiner (Hans Bennent), a Jew. The Germans are tightening the noose on Jews and we are told Lucas has fled. The theater is currently run by Steiner’s wife Marion (Catherine Deneuve), who will also star in its current production along with Granger.
Marion will do anything in her power to assist her husband and attempts to appear cold and tough at all times. One of her major problems is the ever-present theater critic Daxiac (Jean-Louis Richard), who now uses his influence to rid Paris of all those who employ Jews. The movie tracks the rehearsal and production for the current play as well as the off-stage lives of these people. I will go no further.
This is well-acted and beautiful to look at. Deneuve is especially scrumptious. But in the end I could not get 100% behind it. There are a couple of key plot elements that are not well prepared for and the ending is a real eye-roller.
The Last Metro was nominated for the Best Foreign-Language film Oscar.
It is s beautiful movie, but crisis resolution is, well, a little too easy, no? Considering they exist on the brink of destruction, they waltz right through every problem they get into.
Maybe he pulled that ending out because he knew that his plot had giant holes in it. But it felt like cheating to me.
Deneuve must be one of the most beautiful women EVER. I remember seeing THE LAST METRO when it came out and enjoying it. Perhaps, I’ll revisit. Maybe it doesn’t age well. Not everything does.
I’ve been on a Classic Hollywood binge, 1935-1950. I’ll revisit some of your old reviews.
I’m 100% with you on Denueve. And she was an excellent actress on top of it. I might have been too picky about this film though I still can’t get over the ending. I will be eagerly awaiting your thoughts on the 1935-1950 movies. That’s still my favorite era. Sometimes I feel like I was born 40 years too late…
I was absolutely born 40 years too late!