Le Silence de la mer – Jean-Pierre Melville’s debut film – is an adaptation of the novella of the same title by celebrated French Resistance author Vercors (the pen name of Jean Bruller). Clandestinely written in 1942 during the Nazi occupation of France and furtively distributed, it captured the spirit of the moment, and quickly became a staple of the Resistance.

Melville’s cinematic adaptation – partly shot in Vercors’ own house – tells the story of a German officer, Werner von Ebrennac (Howard Vernon), who is billeted to the house of an elderly man (Jean-Marie Robain) and his niece (Nicole Stéphane) in occupied France.

One of the most important French films to deal with World War II, and a landmark in Melville’s distinguished œuvre, Le Silence de la mer is a lyrical, timeless depiction of the experiences and struggles of occupation and resistance. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Melville’s debut film for the first time on Blu-ray in the UK.

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Posted on Monday, 9 April
Tagged as: The Masters of Cinema Series Blu-ray 1080p Melville Tarantino French Resistance WWII WW2 World War 2 Nazis Hitler Vercors The Silence of the Sea Le Silence de la mer