Lacombe, Lucien (1974)

In the harsh clutches of 1944 Nazi-occupied France, young Lucien Lacombe finds himself precariously balanced on the edge of a moral precipice. Raised in the tranquil rural southwest, Lucien's restless spirit finds little solace in his peasant farming roots. With his father a prisoner of war and his mother struggling to maintain the farm with a handful of laborers, he seeks a sense of purpose outside his small-town nursing home job. Driven more by restlessness than political conviction, Lucien attempts to join the Resistance. His youth, however, bars his path, leaving him vulnerable to the lure of a darker, more powerful force—the Gestapo. Despite witnessing the chilling brutality of his new colleagues, Lucien remains largely unaffected, even when the violence is directed at those he knows. The promise of financial gain and the allure of wielding power overcomes any lingering doubts. Lucien's life takes an unexpected turn when he falls for France Horn, the beautiful daughter of a local tailor. Yet, their love story is tainted by the cruel mark of history—the Horns are Jewish. Lucien finds himself torn between his allegiance to the Nazis and his feelings for France, while the Horns must navigate the dangerous waters of denying a Nazi collaborator or succumbing to his will. As the war draws near its end with the promise of American liberation, Lucien's world becomes a complex web of choices, allegiances, and emotions. His decisions will not only shape his future but also that of those around him, in a world where repression and brutality are the norm. His story serves as a stark reminder of the complexities of love, loyalty, and survival in a time of unparalleled uncertainty.

Lacombe, Lucien is a drama movie featuring Pierre Blaise and directed by Louis Malle.

Lacombe, Lucien is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.