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SAFE CONDUCT Send This Review to a Friend
Bertrand Tavernier is a very special director and he has uncorked a fascinating and profound film that affectionately looks at French filmmakers struggling to make movies under the Nazi occupation in World War II. "Safe Conduct," which played at the New York Film Festival before its commercial release, is an especially ambitious work, reflected in its nearly three-hour length, during which time I didn't look at my watch once. The informative film is fresh because little has been done on screen about the role of cinema in France during this period, and yet an industry managed to survive, although not always with honor. But it should be remembered that the masterpiece, "Children of Paradise," not dealt with here, was made during the occupation.
"Safe Conduct," includes real-life individuals mixed with the fictional characters, and the screenplay by Jean Cosmos and Tavernier is alive with action, intrigue and struggles with conscience amidst the urge to somehow survive, both as artists and as citizens. The powerful German-owned Continental Films was a major source of employment, and also concern, as uneasy relations prevailed between the German brass and the French filmmakers.
Despite such a grim situation, Tavernier manages to include quite a bit of humor. The funniest moments stem from a situation in which a Resistance member finds himself having to take an unexpected flight to meet British allies and turn over German military plans that he managed to steal. The Brits are amazed and disbelieving of his account, and the debriefing scene is extremely funny, especially since it is fueled by so much serving of tea.
Despite grim and troubling situations, Tavernier manages to include quite a bit of humor. But the overall thrust of the film is deadly serious as Tavernier, with his customary artistry, tells his story impeccably with the breadth of a novel. His superb cast includes Jacques Gamblin, Dennis Podalydès, Marie Gillain, Charlotte Kady, Marie Desgranges, Philippe Morier-Genoud and others in an ensemble that creates an impression of realism even while recounting events and relationships that seem larger than life. "Safe Conduct" also makes an important contribution to cinema history while it entertains us as a good yarn should. An Empire Pictures release.
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