MYOFNF #14: Army of Shadows (dir. Jean-Pierre Melville, 1969)

Melville made his name directing Frenchified versions of American film noir and his masterpiece, Army of Shadows, uses many of the same motifs and themes in dealing with the French Resistance during World War Two. The melding works well because, on a quotidian level, being a member of the resistance was pretty much identical to operating in the criminal underworld, and the same questions of loyalty and fear are paramount. The film concentrates entirely on the mental landscapes of its protagnoists, eschewing any conventional action or much in the way of traditional suspense. This restrained approach not only makes the characters vivid, but also makes a simple voiceover or title intersistial emotionally wrenching.