Les Maudits/The Damned (1947)
Directed by René Clément
Good to see this finally.
French Second World War drama about a group of Axis officials and various collaborators attempting an unlikely escape from Norway in a German U-boat in the final days of the war. Their plans to reach South America become complicated after an attack by an enemy vessel leaves one of the passengers injured and requiring medical attention. A doctor is successfully kidnapped from the French coast and brought on board so that the mission may continue. Held captive, he realises that once he is no longer required his future will be short lived. Yet this is only the beginning as we come to learn more about the darkly intriguing personalities of the other characters he is trapped with - the damned - each with their own past and uncertain future.
It's a good quality film noir/psychological drama. The quality of the production was excellent, with the gritty black and white photography, compositions, innovative tracking shots through the sub and exterior scenes all giving a good impression of reality, whilst also conveying the necessary darkness of the mood and underlying tension. I feel like this overshadowed the quality of the story to some extent however, which although was reasonably good, didn't quite live up to the same standard. Some events and motivations were a little unbelievable, and some characters were developed better than others. There was some good casting though, and the engaging narration from the doctor character worked very well in expressing the mood and keeping the story tight. Good style and unique character.
7/10