French Connection

In Jean-Pierre Melville's 1969 film Army of Shadows, French freedom fighters sabotage the Nazis who have infiltrated their towns. Simultaneously subtle and gripping, the movie — rarely seen in the U.S. and recently restored — intercuts deliberately paced moments of reflection with action scenes straight out of a James Bond flick. It's at its best, however, portraying French Resistance groups as clusters of men and women from all walks of life (shop owner, barber, barfly) united by a common goal. It's a gripping, tough tale that will make you rethink the belief that the French were a bunch of cheese-eating surrender monkeys.
Fri., Oct. 27, 9:20 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 28, 7 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 29, 3:30 p.m.