L'Armee Des Ombres, or, Army of Shadows is a 1969 film about the French Resistance during World War II. The film is based on a book of the same name by Joseph Kessel. Jean-Pierre Melville (Le Doulos, Le Samourai, Le Cercle rouge) directed the film using a simple and unadorned film noir style. In 1942, Nazi forces occupy most of France. A civil engineer named Philippe Gerbier (Lino Ventura) works as a chief commander for the underground French Resistance. He is betrayed by one of his comrades, who informs the Nazis of his whereabouts. Philipe is thrown in a camp, but escapes shortly there after. Now he must continue to evade the Nazi forces, bargain with Allied members, and kill any traitors that thwart his efforts. Jean-Pierre Melville provides a comprehensive illustration of a hero faced with war - he shows Philipe's successes and failures. As a result, we are left with the impression that heroes are only human. Be sure to catch the beautifully-shot film.moreless