Le Combat dans l'île Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Le Combat dans l'île Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 21, 2023

Unless you've been hiding under a rock of late (and maybe even then), you've probably heard a lot of news reports about so-called "right wing terrorism", but for anyone who may think that is some kind of new phenomenon, Le Combat dans l'île should be potent enough proof that it's been around for quite some time, to say the least. Even the quasi-Obi strip that Radiance has made part of its packaging allure overtly refers to focal character Clément Lesser (Jean-Louis Trintignant) as a "right wing terrorist", although in this context he's what might be jokingly referred to as a "midcentury modern" version in a France fraught with political unrest due to its "relationship" with Algeria. The French occupation of Algeria may not be entirely analogous to the United States' Vietnam experience, but it certainly bears similarities in several salient ways, not the least of which was the sometimes violent rise of a leftist counterculture in opposition. It's that ostensibly "Communist" influence that Clément is tasked with fighting, but that's not necessarily all that Le Combat dans l'île is concerned with. It's perhaps comical that the aforementioned Obi strip compares first time director Alain Cavalier to Claude Chabrol, while an on disc supplement with Philippe Roger cites Robert Bresson and Jean Grémillon as influences, and even other pundits have mentioned everyone from Louis Malle (who produced this effort) to François Truffaut as perceived tethers. That last named referent may be top of mind here not just due to certain plot similarities with Jules and Jim, but the fact that this film co-stars the actor who portrays one of that film's two title characters, Henri Serre.

The film quickly introduces Clément and his wife Anne (Romy Schneider), on a drive with a third character named Serge (Pierre Asso). Cavalier rather deftly establishes the fact that Clément and Serge are up to something, and that Anne isn't particularly fond of Serge, but those two intertwined intrigues are almost immediately jettisoned for just the first of several rather disturbingly violent encounters between Clément and Anne once they're alone. Their roiling relationship is probably only further unsettled when their maid discovers a bazooka (!) hidden in a closet, and Anne confronts Clément with it. Suffice it to say that Clément and Serge are up to something, namely a planned assassination of a leftist leader (hence that badly secreted bazooka). That may imply that Le Combat dans l'île will be a politically charged thriller, much like The Conformist, another film (if not director) the Obi strip references.

Despite an initial impression, though, that turns out to not be the case, at least not in sum, as Le Combat dans l'île soon starts exploiting a quasi-ménage à trois aspect when after what is evidently the successful murder of the leader Clément and Anne hide out with Paul (Henri Serre), a former friend of Clément who has taken a very different path in life, both personally and especially politically. When Clément discovers Serge may have set him up as a fall guy, he takes off for vengeance, and suddenly the film segues into the nascent relationship between Paul and Anne. Things come to a head somewhat late in this "slow burn" enterprise when Anne becomes pregnant by Paul, followed by Clément's unexpected return.

This is often an intellectually compelling film, but I'm frankly not sure it ever really delivers on an emotional level, something that's rather strange given the outsized hyperbolism of Clément and Anne's interchanges in particular. I think one problem may be the fact that, as indicated above by the sheer number of people mentioned as perceived influences on and/or connections to Cavalier, there's a kind of subliminal wish to make Cavalier "fit" into some preconceived notion of genre or style, when he's his own animal, so to speak. That said, the plotting here is fairly outlandish, and even the titular showdown is almost an afterthought, but Cavalier gets three outstanding performances from his stars, especially an absolutely feral Trintignant and a typically elegant if somewhat troubled Schneider.

Le Combat dans l'île Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Le Combat dans l'île is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.66:1. Radiance's insert booklet contains the following fairly generic information about the transfer:

Le Combat dans l'île was scanned in 2K and restored and colour graded by Gaumont. Additional colour correction was performed by Radiance Films in 2023.

This is a nicely organic and generally extremely well detailed presentation, even given some of Cavalier's "artier" framings, some of which are addressed in the Philippe Roger piece included on the disc as a supplement. There are some very minor variances in clarity along the way, not necessarily due to such sequences as a mist strewn environment Clément makes his way through at one point, but on the whole fine detail levels are consistently pleasing. Contrast is also solid, with just the barest hint of crush intruding in a couple of scenes (look toward the left of screenshot 4 for one example). There's really no damage of any import to report.

Le Combat dans l'île Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Le Combat dans l'île features LPCM 2.0 Mono audio in the original French. There are occasional passing ambient environmental effects, as in the opening car ride or the outdoor scenes, but otherwise this is a very talky affair that is perfectly well supported by this track. There is a rather interesting, somewhat astringent, score by Serge Nigg, and some of the clarinet and string cues in particular are nicely full bodied. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Le Combat dans l'île Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Alain Cavalier

  1962 Interview (HD; 4:51) was on French television, and is subtitled in English.

  
  

  France 1961 (HD; 13:15) was originally produced for a 2010 DVD release of the film, and features Cavalier looking over images from the film. Subtitled in English.

  
  

  Playing Dead (HD; 4:46) might have some slightly misleading verbiage in its description, since a supposed "commentary" by Cavalier is a few spoken lines interspersed with some sound effects. My disc may have some audio issues on this supplement.

• Jean-Louis Trintignant (HD; 7:36) is featured in a 1983 interview done for Belgian television. Subtitled in English.


• The Succulence of Fruit (HD; 37:29) is a perhaps over elaborately named but very interesting appreciation by Philippe Roger. Subtitled in English.


• Un Américain (HD; 16:38) is Cavalier's first short from 1958. Subtitled in English.


• Gallery (HD)


• Trailer (HD; 3:22)

Additionally, Radiance provides a nicely appointed insert booklet which offers cast and crew information for both the main feature and Un Américain, along with two new and one archival essay. A few stills and other pictures are included, along with transfer notes. Packaging features a reversible sleeve and Radiance's quasi-Obi strip.

Le Combat dans l'île Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Philippe Roger argues against thinking of the bazooka as a phallic symbol, but when the character holding it, um, erect bears the surname of Lesser, subtext may be rearing its ugly head, and Roger's advice may not be entirely possible to accept. Joking aside, that is perhaps just one (slight?) example of how Cavalier's reach may not always quite exceed his grasp. This is certainly a really interesting first effort from a director, but it's probably wrong to try to stuff this "square peg" into a Nouvelle Vague "round hole". The cast is excellent, and this disc offers secure technical merits and some outstanding supplements. With caveats noted, Recommended.