the last metro (1980)
considered by many to be the film that aptly bookmarks the end of francois truffaut’s career, the last metro marks an interesting counterpoint to the whistful youth of his debut work the 400 blows. while the core themes remain the same; disillusionment in authority, rebellion against thy bearers, the scope of this later work is much bigger. while the last metro isnt technically his final film, thematically it certainly feels like it.
the twin leads of catherine deneuve and gerard depardieu are nothing short of outstanding. they hold the film together in a way that reminds of the later antoine doinel films, especially bed and board, and is reminiscent of the way in which ”the relationship” as a concept is predominent throughout truffaut’s ouevre (as is apparent in jules et jim and fahrenheit 451, extending as far as both incorporating love triangles). the third party within the relationship of deneuve and depardieu comes in the shape of deneuve’s husband, a franco-jew in hiding who manages to shadow-direct the play at the center of the film from beneath the floorboards. in a similiar manner to jules et jim, neither party involved in the love triangle is particularly unlikeable, extending an emotional draw to the audience.
the supporting cast serves well, with the controversial meanderings of some of the characters being a witty commentary on the behaviour and standing of the nazi party at the central core of the film. lesbian relationships, resistance guerrilas and blackmarket dealings for the basis of a heavy attack on the contradictory nature of government.
the films visuals are one of its strongest areas, with the striking photography possibly being the best of truffaut’s career, and paying due credit to the fantastic locales recreating paris within the throes of world war two. it cannot be stressed how great looking a film the last metro is, i know its a cliche, but words simply wont do.
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