I first saw this film as a young girl. Even at the age of 13, the opening scene struck me with its stark depiction of numb survival. The game of chess comes to symbolize the crafting of a deception, and a murder attempt. A haunting mood permeates the simple, yet effective scenes--one can almost feel the sense of trauma and tragedy of Post War France.
The ending is wonderfully satisfying and even somewhat shocking. This film makes no apology for itself--it presents us with a concentration camp survivor who is still in love with a narcissistic user, and we go on from there, somehow suspending all sense of disbelief in the face of masterful acting.
The ending is wonderfully satisfying and even somewhat shocking. This film makes no apology for itself--it presents us with a concentration camp survivor who is still in love with a narcissistic user, and we go on from there, somehow suspending all sense of disbelief in the face of masterful acting.