It’s 1944 and the end of the second world war is approaching. Dietrich von Cholitz (Niels Arestrup), German military governor of the occupied Paris has received the assignment from Hitler to destroy the whole city, making sure the allies will find nothing but debris. It will mean all famous landmarks will disappear. The most effective way to get this done is by blowing up all bridges crossing the Seine, resulting in a destructive flooding of the city. It would mean the loss of many lives.
A Danish diplomat, Raoul Nordling (André Dussollier), who knows more than he shows, is trying to change the mind of the governor in this historical drama.
Diplomatie is based on a play and that quickly becomes clear as most of the movie is set in one location. With such type of movies it all depends on the writing and acting if it will manage to hold your attention. In this case there is nothing to worry about. Both actors were also the lead actors in the play this movie is based on and therefore know their parts well. Arestrup and Dussollier react convincingly during conversations and are great in their game of wit and reason.
The dialogue is about the battle between ideals, following orders and the consequences of destroying Paris. Both men know their position and are aware that the individual in this case is not as important compared to the greater good. The diplomat tries to convince the governor to disregard the order he received, even if that means he has to face the consequences.
The tone of the movie is dark and has a sense of pressure considering the stakes. As a viewer you wonder who will come out on top. Although the movie contains one small action sequence, it is mostly about dialog and acting prowess and when it comes to that there isn’t much to complain about. If you are into historical drama and great acting than Diplomacy is a movie worth giving a shot.
