The Damned

A French Post-War Thriller From 1947: Had the Potential To Be A Claustrophobic Classic, But Left Me Largely Uninvolved
Of all the recent releases on the DVD/Blu-ray market, I was particularly excited to catch the debut of "The Damned" by French filmmaker René Clément. Clément was one of the strongest post-WWII era directors to emerge from France with a resume that included such fantastic classics as "Forbidden Games" and "Purple Noon" (both of which I own). I had never heard of the "The Damned," but I was eager to experience the 1947 wartime thriller. Despite my enthusiasm, however, the movie never really connected with me. It is a serviceable entertainment, to be sure, but I found its shifting narrative perspective a bit awkward. Ostensibly the story is told from the vantage point of a French doctor co-opted onto an enemy sub. At times, he is the film's narrator which can provide a claustrophobic and harrowing effect as he tries to figure out what is going on. Many more times, though, the screenplay simply abandons this viewpoint whenever convenient for the story. More...

What Happens When "Das Boot" Collides with "Huis Clos"
This film grows on you...or possibly more accurately, closes in on you. It is the intense claustrophobia in the quarters of a submarine - brilliantly filmed in black and white, that is unforgettable. So the more I think about it, the more I like the movie.

The movie is clearly influenced by the short masterpiece of Jean Paul Sartre's "No Exit" (French translation - Huis Clos) in which a group of people who can't stand each other are forced to live in close quarters with no exit. They are in Hell. This unsavory collection of Nazis and Nazi sympathizers boards the U-Boat in Olso to escape from the Allies as the war is just about to be lost. Some of the characters are a sadistic SS officer, his young homosexual lover and petty criminal, an Italian industrialist, a Swedish nuclear scientist (and his unwilling 17 year old daughter), a Nazi general, his mistress, and a French businessman. However, each individual has his or her own selfish agenda. When the submarine boat...

Fine piece of film history
Beautifully photographed in black and white. Not Bergman or Wells, but quite a pleasure. The story is very interesting and the acting is sufficient. If you like old black and white films by excellent directors, this may be for you. Also I happen to like films that explore Nazi thinking and the interplay between the fanatics and the people who just get dragged into the mess. So this one hit the spot, though there are others that I prefer.

The extra features were very interesting. The discussions about the director gave a take on French cinema and the director's problems with the New Wave enthusiasms were especially interesting and certainly for anyone interested in film history. The narration by film experts over the film itself was light, but much, much better than the average insulting c**p of stars and directors joking around and reminiscing.

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