The Revolutionary (1970) Spoiler-Free Summary – What It's About

In a setting that evokes the turbulent atmosphere of the late 1960s, a university student known only as A finds himself increasingly at odds with the world around him. Though already active in leftist campus politics, he becomes deeply frustrated with what he perceives as the inadequacy of his peers’ methods. The slow pace of institutional change feels insufficient to him, sparking a restlessness that drives him away from the safety of academic debate. This disillusionment becomes the catalyst for a dangerous journey, pushing him toward a reality where the desire for justice begins to blur the lines of acceptable action.

Seeking a more militant path, A crosses paths with Despard, a veteran organizer and factory worker who champions the cause of the laboring class. Under Despard's guidance, the student is introduced to the grittier, more urgent struggles of the industrial worker, moving from theoretical discussions to the volatile environment of a labor strike. The movement, however, faces immense pressure from authorities, and a government crackdown forces A to navigate a tightening political grip. As the life he once knew slips away, he finds himself drifting further into a world where the stakes are no longer academic, but life and death.

The narrative takes a darker turn as A encounters Leonard, a radical figure whose approach to revolution involves tactics far more extreme than anything the student has previously encountered. Leonard’s worldview is shaped by a desire for retribution, presenting A with a stark choice that tests the very core of his beliefs. The film weaves a tense, psychological portrait of radicalization, trapping its protagonist in a web of dangerous schemes where ideals collide with the brutal consequences of real-world action. It becomes a story not just about politics, but about the heavy personal cost of commitment in a world that offers no easy answers.