Yves Montand lost more than 15 kilos to play his role as Artur

A gem of a French film from the 1970’s based on the true story of the Czechoslovak communist Artur London, a defendant in the Slánský trial.

It is the Stalinist period of Czechoslovakia and purges of foreigners are taking place. It seems the current purge is targeting all the members of the communist brigades that fought in the Spanish Civil War. Part of the paranoia that Stalin suddenly started to feel towards all foreigners in general.

Artur is subjected to months of imprisonment and torture in order to compel him to confess to crimes against the state he did not commit for a show trial. A lot of the torture consists of forcing him to walk in circles in his cell for hours on end. Frankly I got sore feet just watching him.