The tricky french man.

Rating: 8/10 (6 December 2007)

The French character in The Deer Hunter, is suppose to symbolize the French Army. Before the United States joined the war in Vietnam, French had been there occupying most of the country. The French were starting to get over taken by the Vietnamese and they wanted some support in upholding there "leadership" there. The Frenchman in the movie is showing Nicky into the Russian Roulette den, as if the French were showing the Americans into Vietnam, all they wanted was for us to come and help them and have a little fun.
By the end of the movie when Mikey goes back to Vietnam to save Nicky and bring him back home, the Frenchman pretends to not know Mikey. He does this because he knows it is getting far too dangerous and that Nicky and Mikey have already met their fate. They cant do anything about Nicky playing Russian Roulette, just like America can't stop the violence in Vietnam, and that the French did not want to be blamed for it, just like the Frenchman doesn't want to be blamed for getting Nicky into trouble.