With "I comme Icare",Heni Verneuil whose know-how was never called into question became more ambitious ; although handicapped by a thoroughly implausible ending ( an easy way out "I comme Icare " avoided ,and in a stunning way at that) and a cliché used for the umpteenth time : the divorced couple who through danger and trial , ultimately fall in love again .
But all that remains is successful ; the depiction of the schemes used by an American multinational to take over French (among others) industries is a difficult subject , not spectacular at all .Mel Ferrer's genial and cynical speech (which must not exceed two minutes, because" I do not want to bore my audience") reveals,behind the façade of respectability an adamant icy personality ( see how Michel Auclair is fired) , the huge meeting ,around the table looks like a Maffia reunion .
The flashbacks are ,like in "I comme Icare " , smartly introduced ;sometimes it's a "enough is enough" feeling when they turn black and white to describe GTI 's involvement with the Nazis and their ruthless opportunism ,but thanks to the actors , the movie survives the heavy intentions .
The sadly missed Dewaere ,unlike Belmondo in "peur sur la ville" ,never hogs the stage and ,as he is the only main character in the whole movie,he carries it on his shoulders ,without overplaying ; Jeanne Moreau makes her one and only scene count;so do, in their small parts ,Anny Duperey ,Michel Auclair
and veteran Fernand Ledoux whose career began in the silent age ; On the other hand ,Caroline Cellier,an excellent actress, is given a cardboard character and cannot do anything with it .
Verneuil was always despised by the highbrows ; but his best works must be restored to favor.