Do or Die!

Stefan Borba spent the war years as part of a covert ring, but once peace settles in he tries to live simply as a Belgian miner with his wife Denise. He wants quiet days, a routine free of danger. Yet memories from the conflict refuse to stay buried. Milan, a secret agent from the old days, resurfaces with an order that pulls Stefan back toward the life he left behind. The prospect of danger returns with a cruel pull, offering a path that could restore purpose or destroy it. As Stefan weighs duty against domestic calm, the normal acts of marriage and work collide with a dangerous undertow. The village and mine become a pressure cooker where trust is tested.

Georges Lautner directs this lean 1960 thriller, anchored by a tight shoot and crisp runtime. The pacing stays taut, with tension implied through looks and glances. The project is built from an original screenplay by Pierre Laroche and Jack Murray.

Box office data for Do or Die! is not readily available, and the film remains a lesser known entry from the era. Its commercial footprint seems modest compared with Lautner's later, released thrillers, and it is rarely cited in retrospectives.

While not widely cited in pop culture, the film captures a mood that would resonate in later espionage thrillers. Its measured pace and emphasis on consequences over flashiness reflect a trend in European genre cinema of the era. The setting in mining Belgium adds a tactile texture for noir fans.

Critical reception at the time was modest, with praise for its brisk pacing and economical storytelling. The film quietly probes themes of memory, loyalty, and the price of choosing a peaceful life when the past is never finished. It invites viewers to weigh safety against a duty may never end.