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The French Conspiracy

Original title: L'attentat
  • 1972
  • PG
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
981
YOUR RATING
Roy Scheider, Gian Maria Volontè, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Michel Bouquet, Bruno Cremer, Daniel Ivernel, Philippe Noiret, François Périer, Michel Piccoli, and Jean Seberg in The French Conspiracy (1972)
Thriller

Sadiel, a Leftist leader in a North African state, takes refuge in Switzerland in the aftermath of a coup. Aware of the threat Sadiel poses, ruthless Colonel Kassar contacts the French secur... Read allSadiel, a Leftist leader in a North African state, takes refuge in Switzerland in the aftermath of a coup. Aware of the threat Sadiel poses, ruthless Colonel Kassar contacts the French security services for help to capture the political activist. Darien, a police informer, is for... Read allSadiel, a Leftist leader in a North African state, takes refuge in Switzerland in the aftermath of a coup. Aware of the threat Sadiel poses, ruthless Colonel Kassar contacts the French security services for help to capture the political activist. Darien, a police informer, is forced to lure Sadiel to Paris, allegedly to make a television piece about the newly independ... Read all

  • Director
    • Yves Boisset
  • Writers
    • Ben Barzman
    • Basilio Franchina
    • Jorge Semprún
  • Stars
    • Jean-Louis Trintignant
    • Michel Piccoli
    • Jean Seberg
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.0/10
    981
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Yves Boisset
    • Writers
      • Ben Barzman
      • Basilio Franchina
      • Jorge Semprún
    • Stars
      • Jean-Louis Trintignant
      • Michel Piccoli
      • Jean Seberg
    • 9User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos65

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    Top cast38

    Edit
    Jean-Louis Trintignant
    Jean-Louis Trintignant
    • François Darien - un intellectuel instable
    Michel Piccoli
    Michel Piccoli
    • Le colonel Kassar - le ministre de l'intérieur d'un pays du maghreb
    Jean Seberg
    Jean Seberg
    • Edith Lemoine - une infirmière gauchiste
    Gian Maria Volontè
    Gian Maria Volontè
    • Sadiel - un leader progressiste maghrebin
    Michel Bouquet
    Michel Bouquet
    • Maître Lempereur - un avocat corrompu
    Bruno Cremer
    Bruno Cremer
    • Maître Michel Vigneau - l'avocat de Sadiel
    Daniel Ivernel
    Daniel Ivernel
    • Antoine Acconetti - un truand
    Philippe Noiret
    Philippe Noiret
    • Pierre Garcin - le responsable de l'information à l'ORTF
    François Périer
    François Périer
    • Le commissaire René Rouannet - un flic honnête
    Roy Scheider
    Roy Scheider
    • Michael Howard - uncorrespondant de la TV américaine
    Jacques François
    Jacques François
    • Lestienne - le chef des services secrets français
    Jean Bouise
    Jean Bouise
    • Un policier français haut placé qui couvre l'affaire
    Denis Manuel
    Denis Manuel
    • Azam - un étudiant maghrebin
    Marc Mazza
    • Le capitaine Lardy
    Jacques Richard
    • Un homme de main d'Acconetti
    Karin Schubert
    Karin Schubert
    • Sabine
    Nigel Davenport
    Nigel Davenport
    • Un responsable de la CIA
    Karl-Otto Alberty
    Karl-Otto Alberty
    • Le tueur
    • Director
      • Yves Boisset
    • Writers
      • Ben Barzman
      • Basilio Franchina
      • Jorge Semprún
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    7.0981
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    Featured reviews

    10Chris400

    Different kind of thriller

    Put aside some of the tiny details, I find the movie excellent. It is very hard to view it and considering the average viewer's grade, it is interesting to see how this movie did not stay in circulation. They did make a lot of movies available on VHS and later on DVD that are really not as good as this one and it makes you wonder if there was not a certain influence behind it (ie political influence to not keep this movie in circulation, which would make this movie closer to reality...). How much of the movie is based on the true story, I don't know, but it seems like all of it could be. The atmosphere of the movie is suspenseful. The nature of the scenario is such that you don't know who can be trusted, so you can imagine the problem of having a secret that people want to get rid off... The events appear to be more realistic than modern movies. Nothing fancy, just some cold war like situation with people that could be anybody and nobody (you or your neighbor or the guy you work with). The movie starts like something is already about to explode. Ennio Morricone's music was such that when the movie started on TV some decades ago, I was not planning on watching it, but I simply sat down and had to see the rest of it because nothing else seemed to matter and I never regretted it. Some people don't seem to like the acting, but remember that this is the 70s and this is how people were behaving and talking then. No Brad Pits or above reality acting. No theater drama or over-acting. This acting is almost documentary like based on the French culture at the time, which once again makes it seem closer to reality. Everyone know from history that those situations existed. Governments moving their ponds, killing whom ever got in the way, sometimes playing with each other and sometimes against each other. Just think about the banana republics, the role of some countries to control former colonies or destabilize colonies... and of course, with the tensions within the countries for some parties to support bad actions "for national interest" (even if it is for personnel political gain) and those that are against it. Sometimes, it was not clear whether actions were taken to fight communist or to favor financial gains for the country and in the end, it all boils down to "how can you trust" and how long before you trust the wrong person? There is the world of simple workers and the underworld of politics, crime, corruption, power struggles... and I think this movie gives you a good snapshot of it and maybe that's why it's now almost impossible to find in spite of the average rating...
    dbdumonteil

    The Ben Barka affair

    The precedent user found it hard to catch up with a muddled screenplay;it is sure easy to see why: first he saw a digest version (93 min) whereas the French version has a running time of two hours. And the subject deals with an affair which was widely talked about in the French sixties,but which is virtually unknown abroad:Sadiel (Volonte) was inspired by real-life character Ben Barka who was murdered in mysterious circumstances .I was still a child when it happened but I can remember my mother talk about it indignantly.

    Yves Boisset is ,par excellence,the French political director.But he was still immature at the time;all the qualities he would display in later works ("RAS" "Dupont-Lajoie" "Allons Enfants" "Espions Lève-Toi" and our French "Paths of gloryesque" "Le Pantalon Rouge" ) are absent here: the tightness,the directness and above all the accessibility.His screenplay looks like a hotchpotch made of all the trendy subjects which were not even those of the Ben Barka era: May 68 and the CRS (the riot police),the guys singing Hare Krishna and more,as the precedent user pointed out.

    An international cast does not help ;two American stars were hired:Jean Seberg who was fluent in French and sadly who was to die several years later in mysterious circumstances and Roy Scheider who manages quite well with the French language too.Plus all the who's who of the French actors :Jean -Louis Trintignant,Michel Bouquet,Michel Piccoli,and the politically committed Italian Gian Maria Volonte.But it makes the matters worse: it looks like a stream of stars who do not seem to believe in the parts they are playing.
    petershelleyau

    The French Conspiracy

    Perhaps it's because the version of this film I saw was only 93 minutes and dubbed into English, but this French/Italian/German spy thriller is doomed by a screenplay and a director that never clarifies the parties concerned. Whilst references are made to Algeria, the Black Panthers, Communists, students, French police and Secret Service, the CIA, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Vietnam, and even the Gestapo, since the political allegiances are obtuse, it's hard to care about a kidnapping or a protagonist on the run.

    Roy Scheider's presence is presumably for the American market, and though he has what amounts to a cameo, he at least appears to be speaking in his own voice - even with bad lip-synching. A brunette and dubbed Jean Seberg has more screen time. She even gets a tender moment with an extreme close-up, but her role remains thankless, for the most part, and she isn't particularly good in what she has to do.

    The only suggestion of humor in the whole treatment is the convenient appearance of a tram and a bus to rescue Jean-Louis Trintignant from two different chases.

    Director Yves Boisset stages a riot with convincing mob pandemonium, and presents a tracking shot of a wall of phone tappers. There are two good edits - one from flying wild birds to pellet shooting, and the other from Scheider on the phone saying "Of course I'm not going to tell anyone" to the conversation being tapped. The discordant music of Ennio Morricone is a good addition to the chase scenes, however a stabbing uses orange colored blood, and the New Year's Eve setting is never exploited.
    searchanddestroy-1

    Terrific French political thriller

    Yes, I recognize here the true authentic Yves Boisset's trademark, this so brave, bold French director who did not hesitate to make films against power, institution, the French government, against the princes of darkness, the lords of shadows who ruled the country. This one is the first of a long list including R. A. S - Algerian war -, JUGE FAYARD - underworld members "friendship" with politicians -, DUPONT LAJOIE - French genuine racism...This one speaks about the Ben Barka's case, a politician from Morocco who was abducted and supposed killed by the French police helped by French underworld to please the US government, CIA. Trintignant plays a perfect anti hero, a lost in advance soul. You also have here many sub characters with the likes of Michel Piccoli, Michel Bouquet, Bruno Cremer, Philippe Noirt...A dark and gloomy tale but so perfect, so daring, exciting.... Among the best of Yves Boisset. And we also have Roy Scheider is a surprising supporting role, as he will have in UN HOMME EST MORT, made the following year, also with Jean Louis Trintignant.
    7brogmiller

    "Something rotten in the state........."

    In films of this genre it is Costa-Gavras who is rightly considered the master. However, Yves Boisset is certainly no slouch and has never shied away from pointing a finger at institutional corruption, hence the 'official' obstacles he has been obliged to face.

    The 'disappearance' of Third World activist Mehdi Ben Barka in 1965 caused such a 'scandale public' that de Gaulle's government was forced to deny any involvement. Barka's son was convinced that vital documents were withheld 'for reasons of national security' that linked his father's kidnapping, torture and murder to the CIA and Mossad(possibly) French security forces(probably) and King Hassan 11 of Morocco(definitely) What is certain is that this appalling crime represented yet another example of Western Intelligence Services propping up monstrous dictatorships.

    This material is dynamite of course and Boisset's film, despite its occasional weaknesses in construction, is thoroughly absorbing and succeeds in justifying its two hour length.

    For this film to work one has to sympathise with the Barka character, here named Sadiel and played by the excellent Gian-Maria Volonté, certainly no stranger himself to political activism. Volonté invests Sadiel with intelligence, sensitivity and a total committment to his cause without being fanatical. Another sympathetic character is the Francois of Jean-Louis Trintignant who becomes in his own words 'the unwitting instrument' of Barka's gruesome fate. This actor can do no wrong in my book and impresses as a misguided intellectual. He had also excelled of course in 'Z' for Costa-Gavras.

    The film is aided immeasurably by a line-up of consummate professionals relishing their sleazy characters, notably Michel Bouquet, Philippe Noiret and a chilling Michel Piccoli. The good guys are played by Bruno Cremer and Francois Périer whilst Roy Scheider's journalist only appears to be a goodie....... Jean Seberg has a crummy role as a well-intentioned leftie and it is cruelly ironic that this lovely actress was to pay the ultimate price for her outspoken views.

    The script is aimed at a literate audience, Boisset's direction is taut, the cinematography by Ricardo Aronovich is wonderfully muted and Ennio Morricone's score is marvellously menacing. The only prize the film picked up was awarded by the Russians. Quelle surprise!

    Whilst watching this piece I was again reminded of Jean Renoir's frightening observation: "Everyone has his reasons"!

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Although the producers and director received all the authorizations to shoot this movie, the police force did everything to jeopardize the takes.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Parole de cinéaste: Yves Boisset: le cinéaste le plus censuré de France (2013)

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 4, 1972 (Italy)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Italy
      • West Germany
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • The Assassination
    • Filming locations
      • Orly Airport, Orly, Val-de-Marne, France
    • Production companies
      • AMLF
      • Corona Filmproduktion
      • Sancrosiap
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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    Roy Scheider, Gian Maria Volontè, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Michel Bouquet, Bruno Cremer, Daniel Ivernel, Philippe Noiret, François Périer, Michel Piccoli, and Jean Seberg in The French Conspiracy (1972)
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