A searing character piece told in rough, nouvelle vague style, Louis Malle’s The Fire Within follows a recently recovered alcoholic during the last 24 hours before he plans to kill himself. On paper, it sounds like a one-note downer, and while it is certainly heart-rending, it is neither shallow nor willfully depressing. Maurice Ronet’s complex performance draws us into his character’s world, helping us to understand a man who can see connection with those around him only through death. A perfect example of Malle’s humanism shining through the darkest of material. (DVD)