The Confession (1970 film)
Encyclopedia
The Confession is a 1970 French-Italian film directed by Costa Gavras and stars Yves Montand
and Simone Signoret
.
It is based on the true story of the Czechoslovak
communist Artur London
, a defendant in the Slánský trial. Not intended as an anti-communist film but a plea against totalitarianism
and particularly Stalinism
.
The film is about Anton Ludvik, alias Gerard, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs
of Czechoslovakia. He realizes he is being watched and followed. One day, he is arrested and put into jail by an organisation that declares itself "above the ruling party" and put in solitary confinement for months without being told the reason why. Through brainwashing techniques, including sleep deprivation
, being forced to walk back and forth all the time, and drugs, he is slowly pressured into confessing imaginary crimes and treason and to repeat this confession in a public court. Years later, he meets his now demoted tormentor, who tries to downplay his role at that time.
Yves Montand lost more than 15 kilos to play his role. Shaken by the 1956 events in Hungary the film was in part Montand settling a score with totalitarian communism and he said: " There was in what I inflicted upon myself [for this role] something of an act of expiation."
Yves Montand
-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
and Simone Signoret
Simone Signoret
Simone Signoret was a French cinema actress often hailed as one of France's greatest movie stars. She became the first French person to win an Academy Award, for her role in Room at the Top...
.
It is based on the true story of the Czechoslovak
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
communist Artur London
Artur London
Artur London, , was a Czechoslovak communist politician and co-defendant in the Slánský Trial. He was born in Ostrava, Austria-Hungary to a Jewish family....
, a defendant in the Slánský trial. Not intended as an anti-communist film but a plea against totalitarianism
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
and particularly Stalinism
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
.
The film is about Anton Ludvik, alias Gerard, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs is an American magazine and website on international relations and U.S. foreign policy published since 1922 by the Council on Foreign Relations six times annually...
of Czechoslovakia. He realizes he is being watched and followed. One day, he is arrested and put into jail by an organisation that declares itself "above the ruling party" and put in solitary confinement for months without being told the reason why. Through brainwashing techniques, including sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep; it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain. It adversely affects the brain and cognitive function. Few studies have compared the...
, being forced to walk back and forth all the time, and drugs, he is slowly pressured into confessing imaginary crimes and treason and to repeat this confession in a public court. Years later, he meets his now demoted tormentor, who tries to downplay his role at that time.
Yves Montand lost more than 15 kilos to play his role. Shaken by the 1956 events in Hungary the film was in part Montand settling a score with totalitarian communism and he said: " There was in what I inflicted upon myself [for this role] something of an act of expiation."
Cast
- Yves MontandYves Montand-Early life:Montand was born Ivo Livi in Monsummano Terme, Italy, the son of poor peasants Giuseppina and Giovanni Livi, a broommaker. Montand's mother was a devout Catholic, while his father held strong Communist beliefs. Because of the Fascist regime in Italy, Montand's family left for France in...
- Arthur London - Simone SignoretSimone SignoretSimone Signoret was a French cinema actress often hailed as one of France's greatest movie stars. She became the first French person to win an Academy Award, for her role in Room at the Top...
- Lise - Michel Vitold - Smola
- Gabriele FerzettiGabriele FerzettiGabriele Ferzetti is an Italian actor. He has more than 160 credits to his name across film, television and stage. His career was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s....
- Kohoutek - Jean BouiseJean BouiseJean Bouise was a French actor. In the 1950s he helped to found Théâtre de la Cité, and was a player in the company. He entered films in the 1960s, and played a supporting roles in The Shameless Old Lady, Z, L'Aveu, Out 1 and The Return of the Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe, Section spéciale...
- Marcel Cuvelier
- Gérard Darrieu
- Gilles Segal
- Henri MarteauHenri MarteauHenri Marteau was a French violinist and composer.-Life and career:He was born in Reims, France. He was of German-French mixture. His father was a well known amateur violinist of that city, and took a great interest in musical affairs. His mother was an excellent pianist, who had studied under...
- Jean Lescot
- Michel Beaune
- Jacques RispalJacques RispalJacques Rispal was a French film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1952 and 1986.-Selected filmography:* Stolen Kisses * Le Chat * Le Prussien * The Invitation...
- Michel RobinMichel RobinMichel Robin is a French film actor and comedian. He has appeared in 120 films since 1966.-Selected filmography:* The Invitation * Les Guichets du Louvre * L'important c'est d'aimer...
- Georges Aubert
- Marc Bonseignour
- Thierry Bosc
- André Cellier
- Monique Chaumette
- Jean-Paul Cisife
- Pierre Decazes
- Pierre Delaval
- Basile Diamantopoulos
- Jacques Emin
- Marc EyraudMarc EyraudMarc Eyraud was a French film actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1956 and 1995.-Selected filmography:* Diary of a Chambermaid * Happiness * Lamiel...
- Jean-François Gobbi
- Maurice Jacquemont
- William JacquesWilliam JacquesWilliam Simon Jacques , nicknamed the "Tome Raider" by the media, is a serial book thief who has been twice convicted after stealing hundreds of rare books worth over £1 million from libraries in the UK...
- Jean-Pierre Janic
- Patrick Lancelot
- Guy MairesseGuy MairesseGuy Mairesse was a racing driver from France. He participated in 3 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on September 3, 1950...
- François Marthouret
- Pierre Moncorbier
- Charles Moulin
- Umberto Raho
- Paul Savatier
- Laszlo SzaboLászló Szabó (actor)László Szabó is a Hungarian actor, film director and screenwriter. He has appeared in over 120 films since 1952, including seven films that have been screened at the Cannes Film Festival.-Selected filmography:* La poupée...
- Claude Vernier
- Nicole Vervil
- Pierre Vielhescaze
- Antoine VitezAntoine VitezAntoine Vitez was a French actor, director, and poet.He was born in Paris, France and became an actor at the age of 19. He was director of the Théâtre national de Chaillot for seven years before being named to head the Comedie Francaise, a French theater company.-References:...
- Jacques Marbeuf