Everybody wants to taste power especially those who are unemployed.

Lacombe Lucien (1974) directed by Louis Malle

"Lacombe Lucien" is a good reminder for all of us to learn as to what kinds of havocs wars can wreak on ordinary human beings. The thing that must be noted in Louis Malle's film is that almost all of the characters have their inherent weaknesses. It is due to these actions based on weaknesses that their behavior is full of indecision, cowardice and strangeness.For example the young French boy Lacombe Lucien is highly vulnerable as he does not have a good job. It is due to this that he decides to join Gestapo. Once he is admitted into Gestapo he starts to taste power. The behavior of the Jewish girl played by Aurore Clement is also highly strange as she decides not only to fall in love but also elope with her enemy. This is also the case of her father and grand mother. So when you have so many people exhibiting strange behavior it is highly improbable that they would be able to make better decisions. This is the motto of the film.

Brilliant study of human misery, hopelessness and alienation.

Le Feu Follet (1963) directed by Louis Malle

Le Feu Follet or "Will o'the wisp" as it can be translated into English is one of the most important philosophical films made by the great master of French cinema Louis Malle.It is based on a book written by Pierre Drieu la Rochelle who was influenced by Dadaism. Although this film talks of a difficult albeit dark theme of suicide the film's overall mood is not at all gloomy. This is because there are plenty of scenes infused with day to day humor.The film is about a protagonist who has lost all interest in life.Maurice Ronet,a major French film star of the sixties plays the lead role.He is a sort of celebrity among his circle of socialites and he is fed up of their useless company.The film portrays the last days of a person suffering from a drug habit.In some ways this film is an attack on middle class or French bourgeoisie.Although the protagonist is a part of it,he nevertheless makes vain attempts to untangle himself from it.If a separate genre of suicide films is formed, this film will easily find a proud place in that category.

Parisian metro : chaos follows even if it closes for a day.

Zazie dans le metro directed by Louis Malle.

Films featuring metro are a sub genre in itself.In French cinema,2 of the most eccentric metro films are :subway and Zazie dans le métro.On the one hand "Subway" is more of an "in the metro" film,on the other hand "Zazie dans le métro" can be defined as something of "outside the metro" film.Nothing much happens in the metro itself.This is because in the film Parisian metro is just a metaphor in order to allow a young girl to explore the intricacies of the adults' behavior.The young girl whose role is nicely played by Catherine Demongeot is a veritable trouble maker.Although she is in Paris to enjoy her stay, she is more interested in pestering her uncle.Great French actor (now dead),Philippe Noiret plays the role of the hapless uncle who is absolutely at a loss as to how to reply to his niece's absurd questions.This film by Louis Malle is quite unusual as there is no other film which can match its spirit of freewheeling fun.For fact finders, the film is based on a novel by Raymond
Queneau who was close to surrealist writers of his times.