LA GUERRE EST FINIE (THE WAR IS OVER)

France, 1966, 121 minutes, Black and white.
Yves Montand, Ingrid Thulin, Genevieve Bujold.
Directed by Alain Resnais.

La Guerre est Finie (The War is Over) is a film by Alain Resnais who achieved fame and respect with such films as Hiroshima, Mon Amour and Last year at Marienbad in the late '50s. For almost 30 years, Resnais has made offbeat experimental films, exploring themes and exploring shifts of perspective, especially through time. In the '80s he made such films as My American Uncle and Life is a Romance.

The film was written by Jorge Semprun, author of a number of political films, especially those directed by Costa-Gavras? (Z, State of Siege, Special Section). He also wrote The Roads to the South, directed by Joseph Losey, starring Yves Montand - a later variation of the themes of the present film. This film focuses on ageing Spaniards, living in France, concerned about the Civil War and the aftermath over several decades. There is a certain weariness along with the zeal, a changing of the times. Montand is very good in the central role and is supported by Sweden's Ingrid Thulin and a young Canadian star who was beginning a successful career, Genevieve Bujold.

1. The audience response to the Civil War, the Franco regime in Spain, the many decades of Franco's regime? Spanish expatriates? Operating from France? The political world of the '60s?

2. The work of Alain Resnais, his exploration of individuals and society, relationships, environment, the past and the present? The future the varying perspectives of time?

3. The work of Semprun and politics, the Left? The Spaniards, the Civil War? Anti-fascist stances? The old and the young? Involvement and disillusionment?

4. The Spanish and French locations, the atmosphere of the cities, the countryside, the borders? Black and white photography? Editing and style? The musical score?

5. The structure: the present and the past? The focus on a person, his identity, life; meaning? Seeing him in action? His story, truth and lies, names? The borders - at beginning and end? Real borders, symbolic borders? Coincidences? His relationship -with the two women? The revolutionaries: old and young? Death? Marianne and her taking his place?

6. The background of the Spanish Civil War. the revolution of the 1930s, fascism, oppression? Espionage? The underground? General strikes? Students? The role of tourists - and as a cover for the underground?

7. The police; the borders, checks, searches, passports?

8. Yves Montand in the central role: Carlos and the ride, Jude, the various names? Past experience, the drive to the frontier, the phone call to Nadine? His various stances, the monologues, the encounter with Nadine and the attraction, the sexual encounter? His biography? The contacts, dangers, the explosives? Leaving? The contrast with his more permanent relationship with Marianne? Reality? Love? The apartment? Bill and Janine and the work for the books? The Unesco outburst? The cinema? The explosives? His future? Ramon and co and their work? The committee, their meetings, talk, dialectical argument? Opting out? The revolutionaries? His going as Ramon? Imagination? The frontier? The experience of 25 years, zeal? Spain would miss me, blackmail? The ageing revolutionary?

9. Nadine, young, revolutionary, relationship with her father, the phone call and her supporting Carlos, the sexual encounter and its sensuality, her friends, the bombs - the prelude to the revolutions of 1968?

10. Marianne and her devotion to Carlos, following him around Europe, love, work, the lies, the cover, the relationship, sexual encounter, needs, going out, her decision to follow him, take his place?

11. Ramon and the cars, going into Spain, his death? His wife, friends? Dedication?

12. The committee, the discussions, the dialectic, stances and principles? The French love of ideologies? Ideology and action? Strike action? Plans and manoeuvres? Television and communications?

13. The background of the underground blending with ordinary people, the eeriness of political revolution in the midst of 'normal' life?

14. The underground, their dedication, the meaning of their lives? The significance and ironies of the title?