As Cavalier's debut not despicable picture mixing political issues and dramatic tragic drama, in a slow pace by the way, the story should be concise, offer more practicality instead some useful boring sequences, though don't expect see an eloquent Romy Schneider, she plays Anne a disturbed girl, going to nowhere, Trintignant plays Clement a rich son of great French industrialist who makes part of a right-wind terrorist cell, cover up by Hunting private club leading by a veteran terrorist Serge (Pierre Asso) they target are left-wing politicians and reds, they first target is a famous politician that end up in a flop, Clement is betrayed by Serge, meanwhile he and Anne hidden at Paul's house, (Henri Serre) actually a blood brothers when they were teenagers, Clement decides chase Serge to kill him, Anne stays there for a while, although both in absolute aloneness will getting closing each other, Clement finds Serge in a faraway Argentina, got his revenge and get back, now faces the unexpected truth, Anne is pregnancy of Paul, spurned Clement demands a duel at Island at river Senne, according Clement Paul broken the pact made on their childhood, dispersive the picture seems lost the central point often, overall a decent presentation!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25

Although Alain Cavalier's Fire and Ice (1962) was not released in the USA until June, 2009, the somewhat faulty (the first reel is badly out of sync) C'est La Vie DVD has been available for years.

This movie seems to have excited both passionate admirers and detractors.

My own view straddles these two extremes. In my opinion, the movie's main problem lies in Jean-Louis Trintignant's Clément. He is such a glumly foolish, icily self-centered and neurotically unattractive young man that all our sympathies lie with the other characters.

Even the traitorous Serge, well-played by Pierre Asso, is more involving.

Fortunately, it is the quick-silvered Anne (passionately played by Romy Schneider) who receives the most attention from writer and director, although Trintignant comes in a good second, with dull if competent Henri Serre trailing along third.

Despite some interesting situations, this film is curiously uninvolving. I think a lot of it is because there is so little emotion in the characters. Additionally, many of the action scenes are awfully detached. It's not a bad film...but one that SHOULD have been more exciting.

The film begins with Clement (Jean-Louis Trintignant) behaving like a jerk towards his lovely wife, Anne (Romy Schneider). Through the rest of the film, you'll find Clement detestable...a real jerk! Later, Anne and her housekeeper find a hidden package in the flat--a bazooka! Now you'd THINK Anne would call the police. Instead, she just asks her husband about it. It turns out he's a member of a right-wing extremist group* and he tells her to tell no one...and she doesn't! Later, after an unsuccessful assassination attempt, Clement is on the run and takes Anne with him. Why Anne goes is a bit vague...but she does go. They stay at an old friend's house in the country. Paul is NOT an extremist nut and has no idea what Clement has done. Later, when he learns, he tells Clement to leave and he does...leaving the sick Anne behind. During the time he is gone into hiding again, Paul and Anne fall in love and Anne creates a new life for herself. However, when the evil Clement returns, she tells him...and his very fragile ego cannot handle it. What's next for this sociopath and his odd wife?

So why do I only give this film a 5? Well, a lot of it just doesn't make a lot of sense. Why does Anne put up with Clement? You could argue she's abused and scared of him. But then why would she enrage this wanted man by telling him she and Paul are lovers? It isn't like he's NOT a violent man! And, when Clement comes after Paul, why doesn't Paul go to the police?! Again, Clement is a sociopath...and a very dangerous one...so why keep these threats to yourself?! It just didn't seem convincing and took an interesting basic idea and made the least of it.