Espion, lève-toi

The entire time, it was a bit too realistic for me. It even got really boring, but that was so that I could – even despite all the suspense – make it until the very end and be shocked because my mind was blown by what I thought I minded. Oh France, how do you do it? (24/08/2014)

Dismal Zürich weather, a dismal atmosphere and one dismal sleeper agent who somebody wakes, but nobody knows who or why. And that dismal agent isn’t like one from a Bond movie, strutting around with a gun in his hand, across roofs, mountains or in exotic destinations, shooting on sight and seducing one girl after another. This one has his daily routine, financial advice and he is at home in the office. (04/07/2009)

The reliable Lino Ventura in the middle of a murder conspiracy, which aimed to reduce the number of members of the French secret service abroad. Ventura as a sleeper agent, who has long built a solid existence, functional partnerships, and social ties to the extent that he has the right to consider his cover as a real existence, suddenly finds himself in a situation where his previous certainties collapse within a few days and he experiences an increasing sense of uncertainty and fear for himself and his surroundings. It is a film about a world where you cannot trust anyone and where there are no ideals, only the harshest pragmatism and state interests that do not care about the fate of the individual who gets in the way. Overall impression: 75%. (29/09/2014)

Lino Ventura contraste avec Jean Gabin par son don de toujours garder la même expression. J’ai cherché, pendant tout le film, à le surprendre en train d’exprimer une émotion quelconque. En vain. C’est un acteur à ranger dans la catégorie « stone face ». Mais je ne voudrais pas non plus passer pour un détracteur de cet acteur célèbre et respecté parce qu'au contraire, je l’aime bien et le regarde volontiers jouer dans des films policiers et des thrillers. C’est que son style de jeu me fascine et m’irrite en même temps. En ce qui concerne le film proprement dit, c’est une histoire d’espionnage savoureuse et magnifiquement ficelée. L’ambiance va en s’alourdissant, la paranoïa va croissant, les missions d’espionnage s’enchevêtrent et, en conséquence, peut-être même sont-elles indéchiffrables. La participation de l’actrice polonaise Janda m’a surpris – agréablement, cela va sans dire ! (26/08/2014)