"The Tenth Man" is a story from British writer Graham Greene which is very well written and engaging...though also ridiculously improbable. You really just need to accept the strange plot and go with it. I could and think you should give it a try.
The story begins in Paris in 1940, during the German occupation. A group of innocent civilians are rounded up and are being held in prison. The reason they were taken prisoner is that some German official has been killed by the Resistance and the Germans are going to execute several of these prisoners in retribution. The men are told to decide among themselves which three will die...and they decide to draw lots. Chavel (Anthony Hopkins) is among the three. In a panic, he offers any of the other prisoners a deal. Chavel is financially well off since he's a lawyer, and he promises to trade everything he owns if someone will take his place. One of the prisoner agrees...though later Chavel tries to get him to take back his offer. Eventually, they draw up an agreement and it is taken to the prisoner's family...so they'll be able to leave their terrible apartment and move into Chavel's country house.
Years pass...all during which Chavel remained in prison. Upon liberation, Chavel makes his way to his country house...not to try to reclaim it but to see who is living there now. He finds the dead prisoner's sister, Therese, and mother are living there...and the sister (Kristin Scott Thomas) is bitter. She hates Chavel and holds him responsible for her brother's death...and she has no idea this homeless man who has appeared at her home IS Chavel. Not surprisingly, Chavel pretends he is someone else. He stays for the night...intending to leave the next day. However, Therese asks him to stay as the caretaker and he agrees.
Some time passes, and a man who SAYS he's Chavel (Derek Jacobi) arrives late one rainy night. Of course, he is NOT Chavel and cannot be...and the real Chavel realizes the man is a criminal of some sort. Amazingly, Therese invites him in to stay the night...though it's because she plans on shooting him! What's next?
As you'd expect with these fine actors that the acting would be very good...and that is the strength of this film. They are also able to make an unbelievable plot seem plausible and engaging. It could have come off as very phony and too implausible...and instead is a special film indeed.
The story begins in Paris in 1940, during the German occupation. A group of innocent civilians are rounded up and are being held in prison. The reason they were taken prisoner is that some German official has been killed by the Resistance and the Germans are going to execute several of these prisoners in retribution. The men are told to decide among themselves which three will die...and they decide to draw lots. Chavel (Anthony Hopkins) is among the three. In a panic, he offers any of the other prisoners a deal. Chavel is financially well off since he's a lawyer, and he promises to trade everything he owns if someone will take his place. One of the prisoner agrees...though later Chavel tries to get him to take back his offer. Eventually, they draw up an agreement and it is taken to the prisoner's family...so they'll be able to leave their terrible apartment and move into Chavel's country house.
Years pass...all during which Chavel remained in prison. Upon liberation, Chavel makes his way to his country house...not to try to reclaim it but to see who is living there now. He finds the dead prisoner's sister, Therese, and mother are living there...and the sister (Kristin Scott Thomas) is bitter. She hates Chavel and holds him responsible for her brother's death...and she has no idea this homeless man who has appeared at her home IS Chavel. Not surprisingly, Chavel pretends he is someone else. He stays for the night...intending to leave the next day. However, Therese asks him to stay as the caretaker and he agrees.
Some time passes, and a man who SAYS he's Chavel (Derek Jacobi) arrives late one rainy night. Of course, he is NOT Chavel and cannot be...and the real Chavel realizes the man is a criminal of some sort. Amazingly, Therese invites him in to stay the night...though it's because she plans on shooting him! What's next?
As you'd expect with these fine actors that the acting would be very good...and that is the strength of this film. They are also able to make an unbelievable plot seem plausible and engaging. It could have come off as very phony and too implausible...and instead is a special film indeed.