DIPLOMATIE

France, 2014, 80 minutes, Colour.

Niels Arestrup, Andre Dusollier.
Directed by Volker Schlondorff.

A film to be recommended. It has its origins in the played by Cyril Gely who opened out his play for the screen (he also wrote the screenplays for Dumas and Monsieur Chocolat). The film has been directed by celebrated German directed, Volder Schlondorff (who also directed The Ninth Day, the drama about the priest from Luxembourg – the Secretary General for OCIC, the international Catholic organisation for cinema and later its president after the war – and is being commanded to persuade the Archbishop to support the Third Reich, the threat to him that all the clergy in Dachau would be executed if he failed.

Niels Arestrup gives a powerful performance as General Coltitz, in charge in Paris in August 1944, with orders to destroy the city, a city which Hitler had visited and envied. He has discussions with a French engineer who is set up an extraordinary range of explosives to blow up buildings, to break the barriers of the Seine and its flooding key areas. The military are ready to detonate the explosives.

A Swedish diplomat, Nordling, a strong performance also by Andre Dussolier, is able to enter the general’s room because of a secret passage used by Napoleon III to visit a courtesan.

The bulk of the brief film is the conversation between the two men, the staunch stances by the General, his ideology and belief in following orders. It also emerges that there is a threat to his family if he fails. There are discussions on moral issues, on conscience, on the numbers of deaths in Paris, of soldiers falling in war, especially in Russia where the General had served. There are also cultural discussions. Eventually, the diplomat prevails, helping the General with his pills when he is in dire need of them.

There is great deal of tension in the time limit for the destruction of Paris, the Americans close to the city, the Germans beginning to retreat, breakdown in radio and phone communications and those carrying out the explosions becoming impatient – and, ironically, the officer in charge being shot before detonating by the engineer who had created the explosives’ situation.

It is hard to imagine, especially in 21st-century risk respect, that Paris could almost have been destroyed.

1. The transition from theatre to screen? The play, the interiors of the hotel, the vistas of Paris, the streets, the planted explosives, the American allies entering Paris? The musical score?

2. The title, diplomatic skills, interactions, results?

3. Paris, August 24 to the 25th, 1944? Hitler and his visit to Paris, his envy, the Opera? Decreeing that it should be destroyed? Himmler and his stealing of artworks? The events of the Allies, the work of the resistance, the population occupied for four years, the prospect of destruction of the city?

4. General Choltitz? Niels Arestrup and his presence and performance? In charge, news of the execution of his predecessor? A military man, the family generations? In Russia, one with his soldiers, orders for destruction? His complete dedication to orders and the authorities hold of his family, their deaths if he failed? Waking in the morning, looking at the prospect of Paris, getting ready for the day, his decision, the bouts of illness and his pills, the work of his aides? The plan, the visit of Lanvin? The maps, the range of explosives, in key areas, the flooding of the Seine, the consequent destruction? Orders, the underlings, waiting with the explosives, communications, phones down? And finally the issues of conscience?

5. Nordling, Andre Dusollier’s presence and performance? Background, diplomacy, a Swede growing up in Paris? His life, his Jewish wife? The secret entry, his appearance in the room? The explanation, Napoleon III, the courtesan, the stairs and their secrecy, the one-way mirror? His knowing all about the general and his behaviour?

6. Nordling, his mission, bringing the letter from the French general, General Choltitz tearing it up? Another copy? Powers of persuasion, diplomacy, talk, psychological understanding, moral issues, cultural issues?

7. The general and Nordling and surveying the views of Paris? Audience attitudes towards Paris and the possibility of its destruction?

8. The hotel, the staff (and the ironic bookings as soon as the Germans moved out!), The kitchen work, the maids, and the young Germans, their being sent away? Mayer, his return, the encounter at Soissons? The arrival of Himmler’s men? Germans in the tunnel, waiting, Lanvin, his role, shooting the officer?

9. The argument about the value of Paris, Hitler and his mania and orders? Paris and its value? Millions of deaths? The lost culture and the General’s responsibility?

10. The appeal to conscience? Nordling helping the General with his pills? The effect on the General? His family concerns, Nordling’s offer of help, the guarantee?

11. Paris saved, the allies entering, the response of the French?

12. The postscript, Nordling and his encounter with the General in 1955? And his presenting the medal for his role in saving Paris?