Army Of Crime (DVD)

The 'Manouchian group' was a collective of Jews, Armenians, Hungarians, Poles and other immigrants living in German-occupied France. Under the leadership of poet and factory worker Missak Manouchian, these people dedicated themselves to life-endangering political action by carrying out strategic attacks on groups of Nazis and their allies. The activists were captured by the French police, who had been using blackmail and torture to get to them, and were sent to their deaths in February 1944. They were branded 'L'Armée du Crime' in the famous propaganda poster known as the Affiche Rouge (Red Poster).

Director Robert Guédiguian goes for an ensemble approach in telling this true-life story, which helps to give a sense of the scale of the events' traumas - 23 people were executed, and the film tries to cover as many of those people's lives as possible. It's remarkable how personal the film feels given the breadth of its scope. The performances are uniformly superb, helping to ensure an overall coherence. However, a downside to the cover-all sprawl is that the requirements of narrative pacing are, to an extent, ignored. Inevitably, not all of the characters are well-drawn. The police chief appointed by the SS, in particular, is a rather two-dimensionally evil character, about whom we discover very little.

In fairness, such a black-and-white portrayal of a character is rare in Army of Crime. One of the films' major achievements is its examination of the resistance group's morality. Missak announces early on that he will not kill anyone, citing his 'ethics' as the simple reason, but it's not long before his philosophy is overturned. It's also made clear that the group's work is not universally condoned, and is viewed by some as 'terrorism'. Though it's clear that the protagonists are unfairly persecuted, the film refuses to comment on the moral validity of the extent of some of their actions.

There is tenderness when there needs to be, but mostly the camera keeps an objective distance. The photography creates a muted, subdued feel with its stern, sombre palette. Though the intense classical pieces on the soundtrack first seem to suggest 'generic art-house film', they tend to be cut off bluntly as the scene changes. This is effective in mirroring the Nazi regime brutally imposing itself into these people's lives.

The 17-minute interview with Guédiguian on the DVD, filmed at the Cambridge Picturehouse, is definitely worth a look for more information on the film's historical basis. Other than that, the brief, insubstantial 'Army of Crime at Cannes 2009' featurette is a waste of space, and the only other extra is a trailer.

Overall Verdict: Though length and pace are issues, this is a compellingly angry, sad and well-made account of tragic events.

Special Features:
Exclusive Interview with Robert Guédiguian
Army of Crime at Cannes 2009
Trailer

Reviewer: Tom René