The Unvanquished (film)

The Unvanquished (French: L'Insoumis, literally "Missing without leave") is a 1964 film noir directed by Alain Cavalier and starring Alain Delon opposite Lea Massari.[3][4]

L'Insoumis
Film poster
Directed byAlain Cavalier
Produced byAlain Delon (uncredited)
Georges Beaume
Written byJean Cau
Alain Cavalier
StarringAlain Delon
Lea Massari
Georges Géret
Music byGeorges Delerue
CinematographyClaude Renoir
Production
company
Delbeau Prod Cipra (Paris)
PCM (Rome)
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • 25 September 1964 (1964-09-25) (France)
Running time
114 minutes[1]
CountryFrance
Italy
LanguageFrench
Box office711,339 admissions (France)[2]

The film's background is the Algerian War and Alain Delon plays Thomas Vlassenroot, a deserter of the French Foreign Legion in Algeria during the 1961 uprising.[5] When a former lieutenant who now works for the OAS proposes to him to kidnap lawyer Dominique Servet (played by Massari), Thomas agrees. Caught giving Dominique water, Thomas goes on the run after a shoot out with his OAS colleagues, who subsequently begin to hunt them down.

The film was not a completely happy experience for Alain Delon. He sustained physical injuries while filming and the reception of the picture by the French public was not good. The censors insisted on a number of cuts which compromised the artistic integrity of the film.[4]

Synopsis

Thomas Vlassenroot, a citizen of Luxembourg, after his divorce, decides to enlist in the French Foreign Legion. He is posted to Algeria but deserts to join the OAS on the order of Lieutenant Fraser (Georges Géret).

After the 1961 uprising, a disillusioned Thomas wants to return home but agrees to take part in a plan to kidnap lawyer Dominique Servet in return for enough money to enable him to pay smugglers who can ferry him to France.

Dominique Servet is in Algiers working for the prosecution on a case involving important Europeans, her Algerian witnesses making her a target of the OAS. While guarding Dominique, Thomas gets injured during a shoot out with another OAS member. Dominique pays Thomas the smuggling fee in exchange for freeing the prisoners.

Arriving in France, Thomas takes the train back to his hometown but during a stop in Lyon he disembarks, taking that chance that Dominique will provide help again. Thomas finds Dominique at home and a doctor is called to help get Thomas into a hospital under a fake name once it us discoved how serious the injures are. They are forced to flee however after another shoot out with the OAS.

In the ensuing confrontation he escapes and Dominique drives him in her Citroën DS. On the way back to his home they go through roadblocks, get shot at and finally with the help of Dominique's understanding husband he finally crosses the road to Luxembourg and reaches his farm.

He enters his home and finds his little girl sitting at the table. He finally collapses on the floor from his unattended wounds and dies while passing his hand over his face as if to close his eyes. Dominique still waiting outside the fence cries out his name. The film closes on a silent black screen with Thomas Vlassenroot's name and dates of birth and death.[6]

Principal cast
ActorCharacter
Alain DelonThomas Vlassenroot
Lea MassariDominique Servet
Georges Géretle lieutenant Fraser
Robert CastelAmerio
Viviane AttiaMaria

Alternative titles
TitleCountry
Hölle von Algier, DieWest Germany
FlyktenSweden
A SzökevényHungary
Eho dikaioma na skotoso?Greece
Have I the Right to Kill?United States
KostajatFinland
La Muerte no desertaSpain
The UnvanquishedGreat Britain

Release dates
CountryRelease date
France25 September 1964
Finland30 April 1965
United States1965
West Germany19 March 1965
Sweden5 July 1965

Production

The film was made for Alain Delon's own company. It was distributed by MGM, for whom Delon had also made Any Number Can Win and Joy House.[7] He had a five-picture deal with the studio and would go on to make Once a Thief and The Yellow Rolls Royce for them.[8] A film still featuring Delon was used by English rock band The Smiths for the cover of their album The Queen Is Dead.

Books

Citations
  1. cinema.aliceadsl
  2. Box Office information for film at Box Office Story
  3. Neil Coffey. "French Dictionary". French-linguistics.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-07.
  4. filmsdefrance.com
  5. New York Times review
  6. "cinema-francais.fr". cinema-francais.fr. Retrieved 2014-04-07.
  7. Scheuer, Philip K. (Dec 23, 1963). "'Fair Lady' Stars Free for Next Roles: Warner and Romy Schneider Cite Prime Lures for Actor". Los Angeles Times. p. B9.
  8. Tinee, Mae (Feb 16, 1964). "French Movie Actor Bears Resemblance to Jimmy Dean". Chicago Tribune. p. g15.
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