Army of Shadows12A

Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville | France | 1969 | 2h 25m | French w/ English subtitles | Starring Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Simone Signoret, Claude Mann

In 1942, a group of French resistance fighters band together to battle against the Nazis in German-controlled Marseilles. But as the war continues and the grip of the occupying force tightens, loyalty and trust give way to secrecy and suspicion. Drawing on his own experiences as part of the French Resistance in World War II, Jean-Pierre Melville’s masterfully tense thriller channels the atmospheric minimalism of his earlier gangster films while honouring the bravery of the resistance fighters.

Reviews

‘Rarely has a film shown so truly that place in the heart where hope lives with fatalism.’
★★★★★
Roger Ebert

‘Melville handles with consummate cinematic mastery the suspenseful set-pieces.’
★★★★★
Tom Dawson, BBC

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Army of Shadows between June 16, 2024 and June 17, 2024.

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What else is on?

Tomorrow (Sunday 26th April)

14:00

Man of Marble U
2h 41m | Polish w/ English subtitles
A young filmmaker uncovers the hidden truth behind a worker’s heroic story, challenging censorship, ideology, and moral responsibility in this landmark Polish film. Part of Kinoteka On Tour – Polish Film Festival.

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17:30

The Magic Faraway Tree U
1h 50m
The Thompson children discover a magical tree leading to fantastical lands. Facing quirky inhabitants and wondrous adventures, they reconnect and grow closer. Enid Blyton’s beloved classic comes to life in this enchanting adaptation starring Andrew Garfield, Nicola Coughlan, and Claire Foy.

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20:00

The Drama 15
1h 45m
Emma and Charlie’s wedding week descends into chaos after an unexpected revelation. With Kristoffer Borgli’s absurdist touch, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya navigate a darkly comic rom-com that’s clever, unconventional, and delightfully unpredictable.

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Monday 27th April

20:45

Heathers 15
1h 43m
Cinema Under the Stairs presents a one-off screening of Michael Lehmann’s cult-classic film, a landmark of modern American cinema that darkly reimagines the teen comedy genre. Featuring standout, career-defining performances from Winona Ryder and Christian Slater.

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Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!