Les Mains Sales (1951)
Directed by Fernand Rivers
Genres - War |
Sub-Genres - Political Drama |
Run Time - 103 min. |
Countries - France |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Les Main Sales is based on the Jean-Paul Sartre play of the same name. The hero, Hugo Barine (Daniel Gelin), is a dedicated communist. Hugo suffers a crisis of conscience when he is ordered to assassinate his Marxist mentor Hoederer (Pierre Brasseur) at the behest of a more radical Red faction. It turns out that Hoederer is even more idealistic than Hugo, thoroughly understanding the "necessity" of his elimination in the scheme of things. At least, that's what seems to be happening; with Jean-Paul Sartre involved, one can never be entirely certain who's doing what to whom and why. Whatever the case, poor Hugo eventually learns to his dismay that most so-called revolutionaries are more concerned with power than proselytizing.
Characteristics
Keywords
against-all-odds, alliance, ambition, assassination, Communism, conflict, courage, death, double-cross, employment, execution, Germany, jealousy, kiss, martyrdom, philosophy, politician, reactionary, revolution, survivor, treachery, victim, war, wife