Cinema Dérive - MR. KLEIN 1976 (Monsieur Klein)
Line up: Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau, Francine Bergé
Open: 19:30 - 22:00 hrs
Tickets: € 3
MR. KLEIN 1976
(Monsieur Klein)
Directed by Joseph Losey
135 minutes
In French with English subtitles
What a haunting movie this is... a riveting thriller made by director Joseph Losey, containing a delirious performance by Alain Delon. In my eyes, it's the best role of his career. And yet it is a film that was pushed away and largely deleted in cinema history. This is pretty shocking in terms of culture, especially since there is so much junk kept in the history books, while gems like this are forgotten.
Right from the start, this flick is absolutely riveting. The story takes place during the German occupation of France in 1942, and centers on an art dealer called Robert Klein (Delon). Since Jews are being rounded up and sent to the death camps, it meant Jewish homes would be ransacked by the locals after Jews were deported (the same thing happened on a widespread scale here in Amsterdam). Since our main character Robert is an art dealer, it means he can get stolen art for bargain prices. And of course there are other Jews who haven't been dragged to the camps, but are being hunted down and need cash to escape, and desperate enough to sell everything they have. All in all, the Jewish persecution is great for Robert's business, until mysterious events begin to occur and Robert becomes aware there is another man going around Paris, using his name, but who is a Jew. The movie then unravels from this otherworldly premise...
This existential thriller has a strong Kafka vibe, and director Joseph Losey certainly knew what it was like to be hunted. He had been accused of being a Communist during the 'red scare' of the 1950s in the United States, was forced to go underground, and eventually escaped to Europe where he made some dazzling works of art like The Servant, and this film. The cinematography is overcast in a poetic way, flowing with muted colors and deep shadows. It unfolds almost like a lucid dream, as we watch our main character's life fall apart, while at the same time exploring themes like persecution, mysterious doppelgängers, the dark side of collaboration, and war-profiteering. And let's be clear; this is not just a movie about something in the past, it is about our modern lives today also. The script is by Franco Solinas (Battle of Algiers). Besides Alain Delon, the film features Jeanne Moreau and Juliet Berto.
One of the great aspects of this movie is how it fuses together delirium with historical facts... a surreal, psychological masterpiece. At the time it came out, it won the César Awards for Best Film and Best Director.
Overtoom 301 2nd floor
Doors open at 19:30, film starts at 20:00
3 euros
