Despite the presence of three French film stars (Jean Louis Trintignant, Marlène Jobert and Philippe Noiret), "The Secret" has remained mostly buried since it was made back in 1974. If you see it, you'll know why. This is not a film with much commercial appeal. Technically it is a thriller, but it has almost no thrills. The basic story is actually intriguing (what is the terrible secret that Trintignant has learned? Who are the people chasing him? Or is he just a lunatic and himself the real danger?), but it receives plodding treatment (very little happens in the first hour or so). Ennio Morricone's score is a little too epic to befit a film of this type. ** out of 4.

Robert Enrico's 1974 "Le Secret" was obviously supposed to be one of those paranoid thrillers from the seventies and the marvel is at how simply it was done. In that sense you can say it was very well done. But to look at it more carefully, up against other more complex paranoid thrillers, the person who is "it"" must have a clearly, for our sake as the world/society will ultimately benefit without Intelligence making up our minds for us that an incredibly life changing "secret" can not be revealed and all who know it or possibly could stumbled upon its being able to shed light on our perspectives, other than what Intelligence wants us to be kept in the dark about, the person on the run should know where to take the secret for the best possible chances of it doing any good. In Robert Enrico's film, that avenue is not explored, and the film becomes a rather ordinary TV movie of the week with fine actors like Jean-Louis Trintignant as "David" (our agent); Marlene Jobert as "Julia" (the woman) (in a fine performance once again) and Phillip Noiret (as her husband "Thomas," friend of mankind and understanding and trusting of the agent as mankind should). Written by Robert Enrico (who previously directed the very fine "The Adventuriers" (1970)) with Pascal Jardin (dialogue) and from the novel "Le Compagnon Indesirable" by Francis Ryck, with Etienne Becker as director of photography and Ennio Morricone providing the score, the film is still rather devastating. In the day of the complex paranoid thriller, the simplicities of "Le Secret" are likely to be forgotten, and that, too, is sad.

Jean-Louis Trintignant (David) plays a fugitive on the run claiming to hold a unspeakable secret. He befriends with Marlène Jobert (Julia) and Philippe Noiret (Thomas) who are living a slightly dull life in the country. Robert Enrico's The Secret (1974) is a master peace of a film. A real film – and as an omen it reflects very well today's society; where fears and anxiety unfortunately still prevail in our lives. Leading to an increasing fatalism as events move towards a desolate conclusion, the prejudices that lie deep within yourself while watching does not let up until the very last minute… Ennio Morricone's soundtrack is incredible, one of the finest ever, tense and disarming in all the right places. An Amazing Film.

Low key but very well written drama, about a strange man (Trintignant) who is pretending to be pursued by the police and the army, because he knows a very dangerous secret. He met a couple (Jobert and always wonderful Noiret) and hide at their home. Noiret thinks that the man is very kind and decides to help him to go to Spain, where he will be safe. But the press tells that this man is a very dangerous psycho killer. The woman begins to have doubts about the man. This is a very seventies movie, with sometimes a lack of direction, but it's sure an intelligent movie. Spectators will know the famous secret at the very end of the movie. And it's a very surprising finale. By the way, whatever happen to the lovely Marlene Jobert?