THE LAST METRO Movie Review

Le Dernier Metro

1980 Francois Truffaut

The delicate touch that characterizes so much of Francois Truffaut's work is evident in his one war film, a subtle and complex study of the effects of Nazi occupation on a Parisian theater troupe. American audiences accustomed to more demonstrative physical action will find Truffaut's reticence off-putting. An important subplot is dealt with mostly through suggestion and implication, and incidents that would be important turning points in another version of the same story occur off camera. In terms of structure, the film is essentially a reversal of Phantom of the Opera. Almost all of the action takes place in and around the Montmartre Theater.

That is where Lucas Steiner (Heinz Bennent) had established a thriving little production company. But the time is September 1942. The Germans have occupied Paris for two years and their rabid anti-Semitism has forced Steiner to flee the country, leaving day-to-day operations in the care of his wife, actress Marion Steiner (Catherine Deneuve). She's involved in preparations for a new production with a new leading man, Bernard Granger (Gerard Depardieu), whom she has hired away from another theater. The newcomer is a relentless seducer who tries his smooth lines on every woman he encounters. Their director is Jean-Loup Cottins (Jean Poiret), who's working from notes that Lucas left before he escaped. Those circumstances put the Montmartre in a precarious situation.

Despite the occupation and the curfew—people have to finish their nightlife before “the last metro”—theater-going is incredibly popular among Parisians. If the new play is a success, the theater will be in good shape financially. But the government could shut them down at any time for any reason, particularly if Marion allows Jews to work there. Daxiat (Jean-Louis Richard), the leading critic, toes the party line and fills his reviews with anti-Semitic insults. The wrong word from him could put the Montmartre in serious trouble. While Nazi repression slowly increases, the sexual entanglements within the troupe become more complex, and at least one member of the group has something to hide. As a finishing touch to Marion's already complicated life, her husband is hiding out in the basement. He wasn't able to escape, after all, and until they can find the right route to get him to Spain, he must stay downstairs where he can hear everything happening above him.

Throughout, Truffaut weaves the personal and the political threads of the story until he arrives at a neat, tricky ending that is perfectly theatrical and cinematic. (It's also a conclusion that has been copied often since.) It is difficult to engage such serious issues in a lighter context, but Truffaut handles it much more skillfully than Roberto Benigni does in Life Is Beautiful, to cite a similar example. Truffaut may be criticized for not going into the full depth of French complicity with the occupation or the true horrors of fascism, but that is not completely fair. He chooses to deal with one facet of that difficult period, and he treats it honestly enough. In the end, The Last Metro is one of Truffaut's most enjoyable and accessible works, recommended for videophiles looking for a new twist on a familiar theme.

Cast: Catherine Deneuve (Marion Steiner), Gerard Depardieu (Bernard Granger), Heinz Bennent (Lucas Steiner), Jean-Louis Richard (Daxiat), Jean Poiret (Jean-Loup Cottins), Andrea Ferreol (Arlette Guillaume), Paulette Dubost (Germaine Fabre), Sabine Haudepin (Nadine Marsac), Maurice Risch (Raymond Boursier), Jean-Pierre Klein (Christian Leglise), Martine Simonet (Martine), Franck Pasquier (Jacquot), Jean-Jose Richer (Rene Bernardini), Laszlo Szabo (Lt. Bergen), Jessica Zucman (Rosette Goldstern); Written by: Francois Truffaut, Suzanne Schiffman, Jean-Claude Grumberg; Cinematography by: Nestor Almendros; Music by: Georges Delerue. Producer: Roissy, Francois Truffaut. French. Awards: Cesar Awards '81: Best Actor (Depardieu), Best Actress (Deneuve), Best Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Director (Truffaut), Best Film, Best Sound, Best Writing, Best Score; Nominations: Academy Awards '80: Best Foreign Film. MPAA Rating: PG. Running Time: 135 minutes. Format: VHS, LV, DVD.