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Transferred to cinema a short story by Jean Bruller, better known by his pseudonym Vercors. This story, like some others of the same author were published clandestinely during the German occupation of France in the Second World War.
The author's literary humanist vision is well captured and developed in the movie. The imposed coexistence of a German officer in the house of an old man and his niece on the outskirts of Paris, is the pretext for presenting a mosaic of suggestions ranging from anthropology to study anti-military argument.
The debut of Melville, who was then his most literary, is clearly indebted to the expressionist cinema. When the movie took almost all indoors, shows the great skill of the director to show the psychology of the three characters through a great job of lighting and the use of detailed drawings.
Despite the enforced sobriety and economy of means, almost laconic monologues german militar -musician in civilian life, cultured and refined person- directed to the dumb owners of the house are captivating enough to always keep the viewer's attention a good level and not feel like a release the rare occasions that the camera is placed outdoors. In the latter regard, adding that the images of Paris are noted as busy file, but the "assembly" and monumental typical shot the officer played by Howard Vernon did not become squeaky ...
As a final note evil little personal: for the second time, Nicole Stéphane has forced me to remember to Harpo, the mute of Marx Brothers. Unfortunately, and although there is only a close up of her face in frontal view, it is essential enough to stretch out the time perhaps more lyrical film.
More than curious and unusual first contact with cinema of a director so personal and unique in their proposals as Melville.
7/10
