Anna Karina as the professor's daughter is poutily enigmatic in that French kinda way, and intercontinental character actor Akim Tamiroff turns in another of his deviously good-natured portrayals. Sleek futurism and threatening inner city shadows have no business coexisting successfully. In Alphaville , the combination works. Strikingly spare sets are invested with a symbolism typical of French film at the time. Hallways lead nowhere.
All paths are labyrinthine.
It's impossible to take a direct course to any conclusion. A science-based, dystopic future is certainly not a novel twist, nor was it at the time of Alphaville 's release. A New Wave, sci fi, film noir comic book. Godard was not alone in his devotion to the cultural spirit of the American scene. Louis Malle's debut as director is imbued with a shadowy sensibility.