LACOMBE LUCIEN

France/Italy/West Germany, 1974, 137 minutes, Colour.
Pierre Blaise, Aurore Clement, Holger Lowenadler, Theresa Giehse,.
Directed by Louis Malle.

World War II in Europe, not in the large battles but in the minds, attitudes and behaviour of individuals and of groups symbolising society in general have become more popular. Here, an average lad,

not accepted by the Resistance, joins the German police, relishing the identification in power and violence. He is not prepared for the emotional complication in his work, especially in his love for a Jewish girl. Exquisitely photographed, most convincingly acted by non-professional principals and an impressive cast, an elegantly scripted and edited, the film probes character, society, war, loyalty, cruelty, fidelity. The pathos of a sympathetic-unsympathetic hero's plight and decisions in war is truly moving.

1. The quality of the film? Impact? As a drama, portrait of characters, presentation of war themes, France during the war, French loyalties - the choice between Resistance and the Vichy government, integrity? The variety of strands and their complexity? Malle inviting his audience to perceive on the human level rather than merely logically?

2. Louis Malle's work and reputation, acclaim? His complexity of plot and characters? His creating tense situations with compassion? His comment on France and World War Two? The repercussions for post-war France?

3. The background of Vichy France and the '40s, the occupation, Nazi rule, the Resistance, the ordinary people loyal to the country yet trying to survive? The life in the towns? The police and the army? The atmosphere in society - arrests, persecution of the Jews, calls to patriotism? Lifestyle during the war - survival? The colour photography, the presentation of the countryside, decor and costumes? The musical score and the use of the classics?

4. The focus on Lucien: the explanation of him in his background, as an ignorant young boy, his father in prison, his mother living with the landlord, his impulsiveness, liking to shoot? His offering himself to the Resistance and being rejected? His not having any stances? Ordinary needs and his grabbing at these? The encounter with the Nazis after the curfew and the offer of the job with the fascist government? His being drunk? Accepting? The effect on himself? The effect on his family - and their disgust (yet his mother taking the money)? His imitating his mentors, emulating their violence and manipulation and power? His tough image? His hunting skills turned to people? The sequences of his being recruited? His participation in rounding up people? The encounter with Horn and France? Curiosity, his suit, his change towards France, infatuation, love? His difficulties in loyalties? Taking France out and his seeing her humiliated? The rounding up of Horn and his going to prison camp? The dilemmas and his trying to understand himself? Rounding up France and her grandmother? The patronising officer and Lucien's killing him? The decision to help France and her grandmother escape? His change of heart, the idyllic love story in the countryside? The dramatic impact of the end of the visuals idyllically and the information given verbally of his later execution? Louis Malle's drawing his character sympathetically? The audience understanding him but not approving of what he did? The strengths and weaknesses in every human being?

5. The background of France, occupation and freedom, divided France and loyalties? Marshall Petain and his reputation and status? The Germans and their methods, oppression, brutality? Survival and deals? The persecution of the Jews? The fascist element and their superiority? The Resistance butchering the fascists? The critical comment made about the film that Malle indicated that for many French it was a toss-up whether they joined the Resistance or were loyal to the Petain government? The impact of this message for later generations? Its truth at any time and crisis?

6. Lucien and his prospects, home life, his mother and the landlord, his hopes, seeking approval, his vengeance on the schoolteacher who refused him for the Resistance? His money, drinking, uniform, arms? The visit to the Horns and the prestige of the suit? The choices he made - and the choices made for him? Did he understand himself or not? Had he any ideas of patriotism and loyalty? where did his integrity lie?

7. Lucien as the hunter, the teenager, his capacities for good and evil? Jean- Bernard and Bette and their influence? Jean-Bernard? and his aristocratic manner, as boss, hunting, violence, murders? His henchmen? The fascist training of the men? The black man, Lucien in this company? The money, the suit? The fascist principles adopted by the young men?

8. Lucien's humanity? As seen in his actions? For example the boy with the boat, Horn, his reaction to the deaths. France and taking her to the top of the queue, the visits, the party and his genuine care for France. lovemaking. his response to his mother, the presents and Horn, his attitude towards the grandmother, the visit and the decision to escape, the idyllic times with France in the countryside - then dead? Where would true justice really have lain?

9. The police and their methods, recruiting, brutality, authority, persecution, the round-ups, the doctor and the boy with his model boat being smashed after so much work, parties, Bette and the glamour - and her death and that of Jean- Bernard? Anti- Semitic attitudes? The local police and their deferring to the Nazis?

10. The portrait of Horn: his background, work, skill as a tailor, his dignity, survival? Making the suit for Lucien - measuring him? Style? His refusing to be friendly to Lucien? The meals and manners? His accepting the situation? Seeing the changes? His devotion to his mother? Lucien's mother? His final encounter with Lucien and his being taken away? A symbol of the man trying to accommodate to the Vichy government - but failing and trying to save his integrity?

11. France and her name, young girl, innocence, at home. French and Jewish background. the introduction to her. the incident at the queue. her later reaction to this, the piano, fascination for Lucien. the outings. the anti-Semitic woman, the party, the sexual encounter with Lucien and her tenderness. her grandmother, the clashes with her grandmother, clashes with her father? Love for her father? The escape and the final talk? On the road? An idyllic finding of peace with Lucien during war?

12. The grandmother and her presence in the background? Her not speaking. observing. her attitudes being very clear? The experience of the escape. the exhaustion. her reliance on Lucien?

13. The contribution of minor characters and the way they were vividly sketched: Jean- Bernard and Bette, Peyssac as schoolteacher and head of the Underground. Aubert and the cycle. the officials, the police?

14. The many strands at the opening of the film and their narrowing to focus on Lucien? The setting and feeling of the period, action violence and realism, the characters and their attitudes as symbolic? The audience asked to focus on human beings in difficult situations. offer empathy and sympathy?

15. The acting of the principals - their non-professional status? The quality of their humanity? Audiences observing them. reflecting on them? Seeing their impact on others?

16. The film's stance on war? The facts of war. the repercussions of war on ordinary people? Power and principles? Violence? Compromise? Survival? Relationships? Dignity? Freedom?