It’s both an important film (probably the most easy to point to singular bridge between noir and the French new wave) and a fantastic work of art without the important influence associated
Heavily influenced by John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle
Shot on location—Melville said he could not get Jean Gabin because of cost and turned down a young Alain Delon (for second lead) because he would have distracted from the film and Roger Duchesne’s Bob. I like Duchesne (Bob) and Daniel Cauchy (who plays Paolo) but this may be a film on another level (better) with Gabin and Delon
Melville’s 4th film- his first crime film- a genre he’d become synonymous with
Film is admired by and paid homage to often by the likes of: Godard, Kubrick Jarmusch, Tarantino PTA and many others (film was remade by Neil Jordan as The Good Thief starring Nick Nolte in 2002)
Handled camera on bike, location shooting in the real Paris—all of this is 4 years before Breathless
Melville loved Hollywood and is heavily influenced by America- wore ray bans, Plymouth car in the film
Gorgeous first shot of Bob in the black and white set designed room/wallpaper—shot off a window reflection- a hell of an entrance to the character
Trench coach (Le Samourai later for Melville)
Bob says “this is a real thug’s face” about himself- this could easily be Belmondo saying this
The film has a lovely authentic seedy atmosphere to it I adore- bars, casinos, 2am-4am seems to be where the film and characters all dwell- smoke—neon lights— sleep all day
Heavy wipe edits
Odd choice of wearing guy-liner for Bob’s character
Again, he’s fine- but Duchesne isn’t Gabin
Love the slot machine in his closet and Bob is full of great one-liners often in touch with the fatalistic character and plot
Wins big at horses, loses big baccarat episode is great formalism with the ending
A triumph of natural noir lighting
Wallpaper is often wild- gorgeous to look at- a real visual effort for sure from Melville on top of the rich characterizations and enthralling plot/narrative
A medication on fate- I could see the Coen’s being influenced here
Paolo is a great character, young, stupid, worships Bob, wears a similar coat, gives up having sex with a girl to hang with Bob
Wonderful shot of a handheld camera, in a car, driving around the casino casing the place
I’d listen to an argument about Bob’s character having some inconsistencies (the counter would be that he’s intricate and multi-faceted)- but he blackmails a guy to get him to help, slaps the hell out of the young girl he basically adopted (one of the two femme fatales that help bring them down)
The real Paris streets- amazing- clearly influenced Godard and the new wave- Truffaut’s Shoot the Piano Player
Sloppy omniscient voice-over for the first time with 16 minutes left talking about destiny
Tense ending- love that Bob instinctually gambles during the crime and wins big- such irony- so well done- fatalistic and properly set up
The ending is a bit rushed with the big job climax
The upbeat ending takes a bit of the edge off but the comedic “with a really top lawyer I could sue them for damages” line is also a break from Hollywood noir where the production code almost forces them to punish someone like Bob harsher
Must-See film—has some frustrating formal flaws (like that voice over) but has elements that for sure touch the heights of a masterpiece
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