Army of Shadows
Betrayed by an informant, Philippe Gerbier finds himself trapped in a torturous Nazi prison camp. Though Gerbier escapes to rejoin the Resistance in occupied Marseilles, France, and exacts his revenge on the informant, he must continue a quiet, seemingly endless battle against the Nazis in an atmosphere of tension, paranoia and distrust.
Critics Sentiment
Le Bison shoots Mathilde on Paris street to prevent betrayal
Félix recruits risk-loving pilot Jean-François Jardie in bar
The film drops from the recruitment sequence to build toward the devastating moral complexity of Mathilde's execution.
Army of Shadows maintains consistently high critical regard throughout, with reviewers praising Melville's understated approach to resistance heroism. The film builds from strong opening sequences through increasingly tense moral dilemmas, culminating in the devastating yet necessary execution of Mathilde. Critics consistently highlight the film's authentic portrayal of ordinary people facing extraordinary moral choices under occupation.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 29
Lino Ventura
Philippe Gerbier
Paul Meurisse
Luc Jardie
Jean-Pierre Cassel
Jean-François Jardie
Simone Signoret
Mathilde
Claude Mann
Claude Ullman / Le Masque
Paul Crauchet
Félix Lepercq
Christian Barbier
Guillaume Vermesch / Le Bison
Alain Dekok
Legrain
Alain Libolt
Paul Dounat
Jean-Marie Robain
Baron de La Ferté-Talloires
Albert Michel
Gendarme
Georges Sellier
Colonel Jarret du Plessis
Marco Perrin
Octave Bonnafous
Hubert de Lapparent
Aubert
Jeanne Pérez
Marie
Alain Mottet
Le Commandant du Camp
Denis Sadier
Docteur de la Prison de la Gestapo
Serge Reggiani
Le barbier
Colin Mann
Dispatcher
Anthony Stuart
Royal Air Force Major
Crew
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