One could sort of see see what the director Claude Chabrol was getting at in the film but I found it all rather boring. Partly it was the bleak colour palette of the cinematography and partly the stilted manner in which it was acted. Standing out in the cast though was Alan Bates as Dr. Marsfeldt (who was vaguely based on Fritz Lang's Dr. Mabuse character) and he at least holds one's interest though the purpose of his scheme was unfathomable. His speech at the end where he tries to justify his actions is gibberish, as he says he drove people to suicide because in their hearts they only desired death when of course it was evident that none of them did. The musical score of over dramatic borrowed classical melodies or grating industrial noises did not suit the movie. Overall dreary and dull.
The love making scene intercut with war and disaster stock footage was so juvenile I actually laughed out loud. A strange choice for such a veteran director.
1 out of 2 found this helpful