Le Combat dans L'Isle, written and directed by Alain Cavalier - 9 out of 10

Le Combat dans L'Isle, written and directed by Alain Cavalier
9 out of 10


Quite often, Alhamdulillah, we are given the opportunity to watch old, classic, exceptional French films on their channel that is meant to popularize 'la culture et la langue Francais'.

Le Combat is just such a rare occasion, a feature that is most likely unavailable on Netflix and the other American giant networks...not even on demand.


Jean-Louis Trintignant is the phenomenal artist, one of the best actors in the world, who has shined recently in iconic Michael Haneke's Amour - reviewed at realini.blogspot.com - who portrays Clement Lesser, the main character.
Another legend, Romy Schneider, is just as brilliant as Anne, the lover of the man who is actually an antihero.

The role model, the positive personage is Paul aka the remarkable Henri Serre, known for his performance in Jules et Jim.
Clement is the presumably spoiled son of an industrialist, who wants to engage in a war for the extreme right.

It is perhaps surprising to see something that looks like a terrorist cell and in fact it is for all practical purposes, long before the jihadists and the white supremacists that make the headline news with their mass murders and atrocities.
Furthermore, the vicious young man has a surprising for his maitresse...

A bazooka!

In other words, the training of this extremist with the other five men from his cell is dead serious.
They use the cover of a hunting group, which is what they claim they are, but they fight and prepare for battle.

They have fixed a target and he should be killed with the bazooka.
However, there may be some interference and that purpose may come to another result...let us presume you have read this far and want to see the film, then find it, which is next to impossible and then we don't want to spoil the ending for you, revealing what happens at the end.

Before the conclusion though, the antihero takes Anne in the country, to the residence of Paul, who is the exact opposite of the main character, physically and spiritually.
The two would actually clash, for they cherish incompatible doctrines, violent for Clement and peaceful for Paul.

They may even engage in a kind of duel for Anne.
Le Combat is a black and white production from 1962, before I was born, but it is much better than most of the blockbusters that invade the screens today.

Better to see this Combat that the clash of Avengers, Spider Men and all the rest.