Melville. Melville is a great place to start for anyone who doesn’t think old or foreign (or black and white…or all 3) movies can be entertaining. For the purposes of this list he’s a little hurt by the fact that he doesn’t have a top 100 film but he has a remarkably deep and consistent oeuvre (Léon Morin, Priest is his 7th best film? Wow). He’s known as sort of the French co-godfather of the New Wave (he’s featured as an actor in an homage from Godard in Breathless) along with Renoir and frankly the films of the New Wave resemble his films much more than Renoir- at least in content.
Best film: Le Samourai. It is certainly one of the better examples of genre cinema and one of the best gangster movies of all-time. The film is justifiably adored by genre directors like Woo and others and Delon’s lead character has to be about as cool as it comes. His stoic attitude perfectly matches Melville’s steely mise-en-scene- the perpetual blue day for night. It’s composed and meticulously organized.
total archiveable films: 9
top 100 films: 0
top 500 films: 3 (Le Samourai, Army of Shadows, Bob le Flambeur)
top 100 films of the decade: 4 (Le Samourai, Army of Shadows, Bob le Flambeur, Le Cercle Rouge)
most overrated: I don’t really have one for Melville. I’ll get to it below but when I first saw Army of Shadows I thought it was overrated… it’s not overrated. It’s quite excellent. TSPDT has it at #402 currently and I have it at #341 so it’s actually slightly underrated at this point.
most underrated: Bob le Flambeur– TSPDT has it as #949 of all-time and that’s simply impossible. Bob the Gambler is one of the more memorable characters in French cinema and even if the film and Melville’s work isn’t as painstakingly perfect as Le Samourai or Army of Shadows it’s at least 500 spots underrated on the all-time list—I have it at #367.
- t’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
gem I want to spotlight: Army of Shadows– “never seen before in the states” was the rage in 2006 when this was released in theaters in 2006 and ended up on a ton of top 10 lists. To me it was known as the 99/100 on metacritic that is a little overrated for nearly a decade until I finally saw it again. It’s very detailed oriented but a richly rewarding entry for French cinema and Melville. I was wrong in 2006…I’ve grown since then.
stylistic innovations/traits: Melville burst on the scene in post-ww2 France. He was influenced by Italian neorealism and film noir to achieve his own blend of gangster and war films. He shot with available lighting and a ton of like Hollywood b-picture energy. His films are known for men in trench-coats, piano bars with jazz, filled with rich compositions and characters that seemed themselves to be influenced by movies (30-40 years before Tarantino did the same thing in the same genre). As much as anything he’s known for creating incredibly striking images and characters that stand out amongst genre and French filmmaking, even as peppered as both of those are with great auteurs and great films.
top 10
- Le Samourai
- Army of Shadows
- Bob le Flambeur
- Le Cercle Rouge
- Le Deuxième Souffle
- Un Flic
- Léon Morin, Priest
- Le Doulos
- Les Enfants Terribles
By year and grades
| 1950- Les Enfants Terribles | |
| 1956- Bob le Flambeur | MS |
| 1961- Léon Morin, Priest | |
| 1962- Le Doulos | |
| 1966- Le Deuxième Souffle | |
| 1967- Le Samourai | MS |
| 1969- Army of Shadows | MS |
| 1970- Le Cercle Rouge | HR |
| 1972- Un Flic |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
I never realized how young Melville was when he died, only 55.
In the last 6 years of his life he made Le Samurai, Le Cercle Rouge, Army of the Shadows, and Un Flic. In my book 2 of those, Le Samurai and Army of the Shadows, are masterpieces and Le Cercle Rouge is not quite a masterpiece but certainly a great movie.
It’s too bad we never got to see if he would have put out any for classics
You didn’t include the real mp of his works; The silence of the sea
@HaMoOn- thanks for the comment- I have not seen it. What makes it his best?
Hi Drake, I was wondering if you’re planning to move Melville up in your list anytime soon, and if you still think that le Samourai it’s not a MP. I think that both le samourai and Army of shadows are MP’s and I think Melville had a great career, he’s definetely a style plus director so I think he should be higher. Maybe closer to that 50’s spot.
@Benedetto – Thank you for the comment. I have not had the opportunity to revisit any Melville lately but certainly look forward to the next Melville film or full blown study. It is always easy to say someone should move up- but do you have a nomination for someone from the list of 65 directors ahead of him that should be lower?
well I’m not so familiar with every director on the list ahead of him but I’d say that at least Spike Lee, Michael Mann, Bernardo Bertolucci, Wes Anderson are not great as him. I don’t think that any of them has two movies great as Le samourai and Army of shadows. obviously Bertolucci has Il conformista (huge MP) and Lee has do the right thing, Mann has The Heat ( I think one of the most overrated movies of all time, but that’s my opinion), but Melville has great visuals, great lead performances, an incredible style, (his movies are like the coolest ever ahah) great dialogues…I mean I know you loved Bob le Flambeur and I really can’t understeand how Mann could be a better director than him. those are my confuse argument, I would really like to hear from you why this directors should be better than him ( I’m a great fan of your work, don’t wanna sound pretencious or rude)
@benedetto – I am a big supporter of Melville and agree that Le Samurai is a MP (I have a post on the 1967 page about it) as well as Army of Shadows. He then was several great films that may be just below MP level such as Le Cerle Rouge and Bob the Gambler, and his most underrated film, Le Deuxième Souffle. His films have a consistent style and attitude to them, they usually take place in a seedy underworld a la Pulp Fiction. He also has a clear visual style, love the way he uses blue and green tint in Le Samurai and Un Flic.
As far as his placement I admittingly don’t know a ton about a few of the slots that are just above him; Peter Greenaway, Douglas Sirk, Kenji Mizoguchi, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and Agnes Varda. I take agree with Ridley Scott, even though Blade Runner is one of my favorites and one of the all time greats I am not really a big fan of much of his other work. I might put him over Bresson who I find interesting but not as impressive as many others do.
@benedetto- thank you for sharing and I appreciate you offering some food for thought on who should go up or down to make room. As I said, so often I get feedback that one person or film should move up- without a reason or without someone to move down in their place.
@james trapp- , I love that green and blue in his movies too. I’m not going to argue on Bresson because I don’t know him very well but I loved what I’ve seen of him. I said Scott, Mann, Lee, Bertolucci because I think you can at least try to compare their work with Melville’s. They tried the same genre you know… and I don’t even know if there is Michael Mann without Melville. It’s not a big deal his placenent of course, It was more an excuse for talk about cinema I guess
Le Cercle Rouge is finally getting the Criterion Treatment!! Very excited to see in 4K
I’ve been looking for this one for a while with no luck. It is one of his best.
@James Trapp- Thank you for the heads up- that is exciting
Starting Melville study, going to try to watch every single feature film (12 or 13 I think)
La Silence de la Mer (1949)
Notes:
– Book pages for opening credits
– 1.33:1 aspect ratio
– Narrator used to introduce characters, retired man and niece are living in France when German soldiers invade their house
– 9:10 clock ticking sound is accentuated
– 9:45 low angle shot of German soldier towering over man sitting down
– 25:00 house is filled with books, maps, a piano etc. man appears to be an intellectual and cultured
– 26:50 alternating between low and high angle shots with the German viewed through low angle and the niece with high angle
– 33:13 frame using door
– 40:24 isolation shot of niece surrounded by black
– 42:35 first shots of war
– 52:00 “I bid you goodnight” this line repeated throughout the film
– 1:07:00 open spaces overwhelming to German after months in small house
– Frequent close-up shots of faces throughout
Thoughts:
– The way the man and his niece use silence as power reminded me of the character Peggy in Scorsese’s The Irishman (2019), in that film Peggy would stare at her father (played by De Niro) after De Niro’s mafia hitman character Frank Sheeran returned from a job, she would give him a disapproving stare that communicated far more than any words. I got a similar vibe here
– Easy to see why Melville would want to make a film like this given his background with the French Resistance, this film is not preachy however
Verdict: R/HR
@James Trapp – Cool. I’ve enjoyed reading about your Polanski and Bogdanovich studies. Interesting what will think about Melville.
I’ve actually finished my last year. But due to work and videogames didn’t post it yet. Need to get on it. Got a feeling it’s gonna be a bit controversial.)
@Mad Mike – thanks appreciate the kind words, when you say controversial do you mean in your ranking of his films?
I have seen the majority of his work but never in a concentrated study so looking forward to seeing if my initial rankings of his films will match up closely.
Les Enfants Terribles (1950)
Notes:
– Beautiful opening silhouette shot held in place during opening credits
– 7:20 close up shots used in the school principal’s office along with wipe edits
– Use of narrator established early on
– 11:44 another silhouette shot
– Unusual relationship between the siblings is established early on
– 26:20 Paul walks in a trance like state with intense piano music playing
– 37:22 shot through train car window
– 44 min mark great overhead shot of the siblings lying in their beds reading
– 46 min siblings start to engage in psychological games with a mutual friend
– 58:10 shot of the heads of the siblings next to each other, a shot that would make Bergman proud
– 60 min mark antisemitic rant
– 61-mark interesting dolly shot
– 65 to 66 min amazing overhead shot of the group of 5 walking in museum with checkered floor
– 1:16:38 great use of shadow, similar to venetian blinds
– 1:17:55 great use of frame within frame
– 1:22:00 low angle on stairs
– 1:29:40 beautiful overhead shot with reflection in mirror
– baroque music by Bach and Vivaldi, adds to intensity in many scenes
Thoughts:
– This film is a bit of an anomaly as it is a team up of two great creative minds; Jean-Pierre Melville and Jean Cocteau
– This is so different from any of Melville’s other films, but it is quite intriguing with the back-and-forth psychological games waged by the siblings on not only each other but also the unfortunate other people who comes into their lives
– Impressive use of close-up shots used throughout the film often inside of the bedroom creating a claustrophobic atmosphere, a la Polanski
– The value of Cinematographer Henri Decaë should not go unmentioned, I forgot to mention his contribution to La Silence de la Mer (1949). This film has some gorgeous shots and uses a range of unusual camera angles
–
– Verdict: R/HR
Bob le flambeur (1956)
Notes:
– Bob the Gambler is the English translation
– 2:38 shot through window of a poker game, the viewer/audience is an outsider looking in on this sort of underworld filled crooks and gamblers
– 4:15 overhead shot of city
– 6:15 Bob is so affable even the cops like him
– 12:18 great shot using closet door to split screen
– 25 min dissolve edits
– 27 min Bob warns Paolo against participating in heist, Bob looks out for the young woman involved with Paolo as well
– 35:35 “I was born with an Ace in my hand” Bob
– 37:18 close ups on faces for the 1st time in the film as Bob first thinks of robbing the casino and tells an associate about the plan
– 44:50 Bob may be affable, but he is still a criminal who is not above attempting to black mail someone if necessary
– 50:10 details of heist are laid out
– 54 min Paolo reveals plan to impress girlfriend (similar to one of the characters in Kubrick’s The Killing
– 57:30 Bob briefing everyone on how the robbery will be carried out while all the participants sit in chairs watching (this scene reminded me of the one in Reservoir Dogs minus the humor)
– 1:11:50 Bob is a hood but not vicious, slapping someone is the worst he appears capable of
– 1:17:00 nice quick editing with Paolo shooting Marc
– 1:18:00 a nice over the head shot of phone call
– 1:29:00 wonderful use of Jazz during Bob’s incredible run at the casino
– 93 min to 96 min music intensity increases as rapid editing used
– 98 min the plan naturally falls apart
– I love the “I could sue for damages” line at the end
Thoughts:
– Great as a character study and as a thriller
– Interesting that this came out the same year as Kubrick’s The Killing, another heist film that focuses on a central character, Sterling Hayden in The Killing, who organizes a complex robbery scheme
– Bob has an effortless cool to him similar to other characters in Melville’s films
– Melville was a big fan of American cinema, especially gangster movies, this is his first attempt at a gangster/crime film
– The story is great but the atmosphere that Melville creates is the biggest triumph in my opinion, I love the way Melville gives us (audience) access to this Paris underworld of cops and crooks
–
– Verdict: MS/MP
My Melville study. Please, before you want to hunt me down, take note that’s this are my subjective opinions converted to drake grading system.)
Le Silence de la Mer – R
Les Enfants Terribles – Not in archives. Didn’t like this one at all. I think that Melville and
Cocteau’s sensibilities don’t mix very well. But I still think it’s worth a watch. Henri Decaë photography is quite strong.
When You Read This Letter – Not in archives. Decent melodrama, but inessential. Loved the ending.
Bob le Flambeur – R/HR. Almost HR, but I really dislike the ending.
Two Men in Manhattan – Not in archives. Has some low-key charm and quite lovely night Manhattan shots, but overall safe to skip.
Léon Morin, Priest – HR.
Le Doulos – MS
Le Deuxième Souffle – HR
Le Samouraï – R
Army of Shadows – R
Le Cercle Rouge – HR
Un Flic – Fringe Recommendation. Closer to the edge of archives. Robbery in rain and train set-piece are quite good, but the central trio relationship is undercooked. I feel that it would have been stronger with longer running time.
So personally, I would have him lower, but I understand why he is so highly rated here (I think if Drake will do a study on him, he will climb even higher). And thinking about how underrated he was ( and probably still is) I cannot begrudge him a bit of recognition.
Still had a blast watching his movies and as @benedetto correctly pointed out I’m not sure that we have Michael Mann without Melville influence and for this I will be forever thankful.
@James Trapp – I hope that we can avoid a duel. But if you want to settle the score, I will be waiting in my cool, sparsely furnished apartment in my fedora and trench coat -haha.
@Mad Mike – “before you want to hunt me down” hilarious
It’s all good, I never take personal offense to disagreements related to film.
I am curious, who are some of your favorite directors? I ask because Melville has an undeniable heavy influence on several directors including Tarantino, Jarmusch, John Woo, and Michael Mann as you note. Others as well but though are a few of them.
I have seen all his films prior to the study aside from Two Men in Manhattan and Léon Morin, Priest. I love the way he creates distinctive worlds in his films like Tarantino his films all feel like they take place in the same movie universe.
@James Trapp-Except Les Enfants Terribles(1950) right?
@Malith – yeah, that one is a pretty obvious exception and the only collaboration of his to my knowledge. Not surprising that it’s my least favorite though I found some very impressive shots.
@James Trapp – My current top 10 favorites are:
– Michael Mann
– Martin Scorsese
– Quentin Tarantino
– David Fincher
– Wes Anderson
– Sidney Lumet
– Chris Nolan
– Alfonso Quaron
– Jonathan Demme
– Asgar Farhadi
Farhadi is a newest addition ( I had top 9 for a long time) his position is a bit shaky, but for now that’s my list. Not very original.)
@Mad Mike- a very good list of filmmakers here- no shame in this. Keep trying to push yourself back farther and farther if you have the time and interest to.
@Mad Mike- Thank you for sharing. I’d love to see what your top of 1967 and 1969 in particular look like without Le Samouraï and Army of Shadows.
@Drake – Well, I would also love it, but unfortunately I don’t have them – haha.
I started watching movies seriously in 2008. So staring from that moment I’m pretty up-to-date regarding cinema, of course I haven’t seen everything, but I think my blind spots are small (although, I have to mention that my viewing habits then were mostly western centric). But if we would go back through cinematic history, the amount of films I’ve seen would get smaller with every decade. Actually, last year, I’ve decided to seek out older movies more actively.
For 1967 I have eight movies overall. I think 3 of them could be in my top 10 of that year: Cool Hand Luke, Fireman Ball and The Young Girls of Rochefort.
For 1969 I have 10 films. And 3 movies that I would put before Army of shadows. They are: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Damned and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
@Mad Mike- thank you for indulging me here. I have pages for 1967, 1969 and Army of Shadows so I’ll let them speak for themselves- obviously we disagree- but I’d push back hard on They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
@Drake – Yep, agree to disagree. I understand why you rate both these movies highly.
Regarding, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Maybe it’s worth a second look. I don’t think it will crack your top ten of 1969, but I think it could be a contender to HR upgrade.)
From what I’ve seen of Pollack work, I would say it has the strongest direction. I remember that derby scene was especially harrowing.
@Mad Mike- Yes, I’ve seen They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? a few times- HR seems like the ceiling. Again, appreciate you sharing- I just was struck by how jarringly different Army of Shadows and They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? are visually.
Two Men in Manhattan (1959)
Notes:
– Starts with nice reverse tracking shot of cars traveling in NYC accompanied by jazz music during opening credits
– Melville goes Orson Welles ands plays the lead character, admittingly Melville is no Welles as an actor (his cameo in Breathless if great though)
– At 5:15 a 360 shot of interior of office
– 10:48 great overhead shot of NYC
– Wipe edits used frequently
– Around 27 min mark start of long take of Jazz singer
– Visual noir tropes, takes place at night, alleyways, shadows
– Gorgeous shot at 32:26 of I think Time Square, there is movie theater signs for “Separate Tables” a 1958 film with Burt Lancaster, Rita Hayworth, Deborah Kerr, and David Niven
– Reference to Hush Hush magazine, LA Confidential
– 1:01:41 Nice composition/use of depth in shot with Melville character boss between him and French photographer pouring whiskey
– Melville unsurprisingly finds a way to fit references to the French Resistance into the plot
– 1:14:14 flash photography accompanied by Jazz that sounds like it could have been straight out of Breathless
Thoughts:
– Repeated shots of Manhattan were effective in creating the atmosphere, Melville was known to love America as much of his inspiration for his gangster films come from those American gangster movies from the early 30s
– Jazz scores popular around this time period
– Film starts off promising but slows in the 2nd half, as stated above Melville is serviceable as an actor but not much more than at even if his Breathless cameo was amazing
– Verdict: R
Léon Morin, Priest (1961)
Notes:
– Emmanuelle Riva as Barny and Jean-Paul Belmondo as Léon Morin
– 11:17 overhead shot in courtyard
– 12:30 reverse tracking shot of girls riding bikes
– 16:50 camera zooms to close up shots during confession
– During the confessional booth scene the screen separating the Priest and Barny becomes invisible several times when Melville moves the camera to the side to give us a side-by-side shot
– 34 min shooting heard but not seen as Barny sits in her bedroom with curtains down, dissolves to a court room scene
– 35 min Nazi occupation begins to affect the films story
– 44 min film starts to display aspects of a morality tale – would you risk life to save others?
– 1:02:02 Priest and Barny on extreme ends of the frame as they Priest insults/critiques/challenges her
– 1:06:44 the next meeting they sit much closer together and the Priest is not as cold toward her
– 1:27:00 intelligent theological discussions like this peppered throughout the film
– Heavy discussion at 1:30:00 on the role of apathy in allowing evil to go unchecked
– 1:45:00 great Orson Wells low angle shots during church sermon
–
– Thoughts:
– Melville showing off some surprising range with a film that you would be forgiven if you assumed it was directed by Bergman or Bresson
– Demonstrates that Melville can create interesting female characters besides girlfriends/molls of gangsters
–
– Verdict: HR
Le Doulos (1962)
Notes:
– Starts with excellent tracking shot of Maurice character (Serge Reggiani) walking under highway over pass after leaving prison, Intense wind sounds and noises during this opening scene including credits
– 5:57 overhead shot of Maurice ascending stairs
– 6:25 great use of silhouette
– 17 min mark we first see Belmondo, his face is obscured for a few seconds
– 28 min Belmondo much more vicious than in other films, I like Belmondo a lot, but I have trouble viewing him as intimidating, to be clear I am not criticizing his performance here which I think is solid
– 33:30 mark a few deep focus shots as Maurice looks up and down the street, clearly paranoid although is it paranoia if they really are out to get you which appears to be the case here
– 39:45 shot of hands a la Bresson while Maurice writes out robbery plans on paper
– Nice composition at 57:43 with multiple depths of field with 3 investigators and Maurice
– 1:01:20 nice brief reverse tracking shot of Maurice being led by guards into jail cell, camera then zooms in on wall to create claustrophobic environment
– Melville seems to love Jazz scores and nightclubs we have both here
– Overhead shots throughout the film
– 1:18:00 Belmondo waiting in the dark with the jewels
– Not sure how I feel about the Belmondo narrating the flash back scenes toward the end of the film, perhaps some overexplaining
– 1:44:00 gorgeous shot and use of frame, reminded me of a shot from White Ribbon (2009)
– 1:45:20 nice Belmondo silhouette, followed by 360 degrees shot
–
– Thoughts:
– First true film noir in Melville’s oeuvre although Bob the Gambler has noir elements
– Maurice character wearing trench coat because of course he is it’s a Melville film after all
– Great performances all around, the gangsters in Melville’s films always strike me as authentic
– This may be the best candidate for most underrated/under appreciated Melville film so far in this study
–
– Verdict: MS
Le Deuxième Souffle (1966)
Notes:
– “a man is given but one right at birth: to choose his own death. But if he chooses because he’s weary of life then his entire existence has been without meaning.
– No wasted time, Melville starts right off with a prison escape in progress
– 6:20 great 360 shot of jazz club, Melville sure loves these clubs and music
– 10 min shootout breaks the laid-back vibe
– 11:32 min Paul Meurisse as police commissioner is hilarious
– 17:10 elegant shot of Paris at night
– 19:54 excellent mirror shot
– 31 min great shot of dancers, guys playing cards a min later; Melville loves creating distinct atmosphere
– 36:27 reverse tracking shot in dim light room with inspector and Manouche in shadows
– 41:21 Gu “you know where I came from, and what’s waiting for me” a very noirish line from Gu indicating his fatalism
– 50:48 claustrophobic shot of Gu in tight space in apartment
– 1:10:00 characters in Melville’s films always know each other, he is a world creator in this way
– 1:19:18 beautiful shot overlooking the cliff
– Heist sequence done perfectly, love the high angle shots
– Like Jules Dassin’s Rififi the heist sequence is in the middle of the film not the end
– Excellent shot at 1:30:15 of the 4 criminals watching the van go down the cliff
– 98 min mark Inspector shows off his skills, I love this character
– 1:49:32 Gu head-to-head, nice framing
– 122 min nice low angle shot of staircase
– 144 min a Tarantino-esque Mexican standoff
–
–
– Thoughts:
– Impressive camera movement, I have not noticed this in other Melville films, at least not to this extent
– Lino Ventura as the resourceful Gu is one of the best Melville characters as is Paul Meurisse as the quick-witted inspector
– This is both a phenomenal character study and excellent procedural thriller
–
–
– Verdict: MS/MP
@James Trapp- Appreciate you sharing these. Keep up the good work!
@Drake – will do, I appreciate the encouragement. I have had fun with all the studies but Melville has been especially enjoyable. I love his style, crazy he passed so young, just 55.
@James Trapp- Yes I was looking at that recently, too. 55. Damn.
Le Samourai (1967)
Notes:
– “There is no greater solitude than that of the samurai, unless it is that of the tiger in the jungle, perhaps” maybe the greatest fake quote ever
– Opening 3 minutes is museum art beautiful with Delon character lying on bed smoking
– Trench coat and hat of course
– Nothing in room except Fedora, cigarettes, and a random bird in birdcage, and a comically huge set of keys, no attachments like De Niro’s character in Heat
– 6:10 amazing shot of Delon through car window while it rains
– the 1st word of dialogue does not occur until 10 min into the film when Jef Costello’s girlfriend answers the door
– 14:24 great mise en scene with shots of the jazz nightclub, would it really be a Melville without a Jazz Nightclub?
– 15:30 love the blunt conversation “why are you here?” Jef Costello’s response “to kill you”
– 22:20 camera glides through the room with all the potential witnesses and suspects
– 27:08 beautiful framing essentially splitting the screen
– 39 min mark great shots of inspectors office
– 39:48 shot reminds me of a shot from High and Low (1963) with communication via body language
– Constant rainfall, vey noir
– 41:30 tracking shot in dimly lit building
– 43:20 sequence similar to French Connection in the subway
– 45:50 nice over the shoulder shot of Jef approaching his contact
– 55 min mark one of best compositions, Jef walking into Jazz club, frame within a frame within another frame, all with multiple layers of depth of field…stunning
– 1 hour mark bugs planted in Jef’s apartment with the whole process shown, displays the methodical nature of the film
– 1:04:30 nice shot of Jef and Jazz singer driving with only faces fully visible
– 1:05:35 nice zoom in with Jef at the Jazz singer’s house
– 75 min mark Jef’s samurai instincts kick in at his apartment as he senses something is off
– 1:18:25 inside of Jazz singer’s house is much brighter than the rest of the film and the first time we see any primary colors
– 88 min mark starts sequences of police unit surveillance of Jef Costello
– 1:32:16 excellent shallow focus shot with Jef on the walkway
– 93 min is the 1st time Jef shows any emotion as actually looks scared during police surveillance
– 1:38:20 Jef with the white gloves goes to “take care” of his employers, some beautiful camera work as Jef navigates the house
– Amazing editing of 3 shots delivered to Jef by police including the main inspector, a fitting ending indeed
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– Thoughts:
– This is an essentially perfect film, not a scene I would remove or alter
– An atmospheric film that emphasizes mood and style over plot
– Impressive dedication to use of color, mainly blue, gray, and green to create atmosphere
– François Périer as the lead inspector is fine but would have loved to see Paul Meurisse who plays this type of role so well, particularly in Melville’s Second Breath (1966)
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– Verdict: a Masterpiece (currently # 76 in my top 100)
Does anyone else feel like French Gangsters are the coolest of all movie Gangsters? Especially the ones in Melville films, they are usually cool, calm, and detached with a mysterious presence. Obviously this is an extremely subjective question. But of the following who would you pick as your favorite criminals or antagonists:
Yakuza in Japanese films
Italian mafia in US mob movies
Villains in Westerns such as Angel Eyes in Good, Bad, Ugly or Frank in Once Upon a Time in the West
Master of the World types from Bond Movies
Comic book villains such as The Joker from Dark Knight
Army of the Shadows (1969)
Notes:
– Starts with brilliant image of German soldiers marching past the Arc de Triomphe using low angle shot
– Use of muted colors, shades of green, gray, and blue
– Excellent cast particularly Lino Ventura and Paul Meuisse
– 6 min camera floats across room, have seen this shot in other Melville films
– 15:35 great composition
– 17:50 great shot of the men playing cards in the dark while the Philippe Gerbier contemplates his plan in the background
– 23:18 immaculate shot with three depths of field, with two German soldiers holding weapons guard Ventura who is about to be tortured
– 25 min mark tension ramps up over next minute to an 11 while Gerbier makes his escape
– 33:10 interesting use of wave on the top of the frame
– 37 min mark they methodically kill the traitor and speak of the act in a very casual way, war brings out the worst in mankind
– 56:08 interesting use of frame at top of screen
– Gorgeous shot at 58 min with blue tint near the water
– 1:01:00 low angle shot of persons as silhouette
– 1:06:30 Gerbier barely manages to hide from Germans in heavy fog
– 1:07:00 would it be a Melville film without Jazz or a night club, or a night club playing Jazz
– 1:22:00 montage of shots of the estate
– 1:27:10 3-way conversation on elevated area overlooking the city
– 1:49:19 great shot of blue tinted hallway in prison
– 1:55:20 great framing during the prison scene where the guards play sadistic games with the prisoners in which they give the prisoners a chance to run for the guards amusement
– After escaping Gerbier takes personal offense to the fact that the guard expected he would fun during their games
– 2:08:00 conversation in the dim light basement about Mathilde’s arrest and what they must inevitably do
– Paul Meurisse’s speech about the necessity of Mathilde’s death is gut wrenching
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– Thoughts:
– This seems closer to a spy film than a classic war film
– Love the haunting score, reminds me of Godfather II
– I noticed a number of zoom shots, not sure if this was something new for Melville or if I just missed it in his prior films
– I love the epilogue regarding how each man died and Gerbier “this time he wouldn’t run”
– For now I still have Le Samourai as the best Melville film but this one is not far behind and visually I actually think it is superior
– Verdict: MP
Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Notes:
– Starts with Melville going to his fake quotes; Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, drew a circle with a piece of red chalk and said: “When men, even unknowingly, are to meet one day, whatever may befall each, whatever the diverging paths, on the said day, they will inevitably come together in the red circle.
– After opening quote we are off and running as Melville puts us in the middle of the action as two criminals return to society; one via train escape and the other for good behavior
– Similar color palette to le Samurai; muted shades of gray, blue, and green
– Excellent noir style lighting
– 11:21 shots of Delon’s character Corey looking at photos of ex-girlfriend, I like these shots as they are effective in giving us (audience) a chance to see what is going on Corey’s mind
– Nice framing at 12:10 using window shot from perspective of Vogel (played by Italian actor Gian Maria Volonté)
– 17:44 Melville is so thorough here in his dedication to the color palaette and visuals in general, similar icy
– I love The Fugitive style escape from the train
– 18:48 the peep hole shot a la Rosemary’s Baby
– 25:05 overhead shot of pool game right before Corey dispatches of the 2 hired goons sent to recover the money Corey took from Rico
– 28:28 normally you don’t confuse Melville with Kubrick but great shot on slanted hill a la Barry Lyndon opening shot
– 43 min Corey is so cool, calm, and collected when facing a loaded gun, Melville uses zooms so effectively throughout this scene almost Leone style
– Melville’s streak of great police inspectors continues; “all men are guilty; they’re born innocent but that doesn’t last”
– 57:25 great shot of dancers in Jazz club
– 1:14:00 again club owner refuses to cooperate because it’s “not in his nature to inform”
– 1:17:00 great overhead shot through a glass window
– 1:34:26 beautiful shot on roof with blue/purple sky and silhouette images of Corey and Vogel on the roof during robbery
– Entire robbery scene is a clinic is suspense
– Great use of shadows during silent robbery scene
– Robbery scene shot in complete silence, ramping up the tension
– 1:50:35 great shot of three men committing robbery in background with bars in foreground almost as if this was foreshowing a prison sentence for the trio
– All men are guilty
– Thoughts:
– I loved the foreboding score
– All the usual Melville traits are on display; trench coats and fedoras, Jazz clubs, shady club owners, stoic criminals
– I noticed the zooms in Army of the Shadows and wondered if this has always been a Melville trait or something new; either way he uses it frequently throughout this film
– Methodical like Le Samurai, you see the entire process leading up to the heist; the casing of the jewelry store, Corey speaking with the fence, the sharpshooter practicing shooting at a target in the woods. Sort of a mix between Rififi (1955) and The Killing (1956)
– This is one of the all-time great cops vs criminals films along with Heat (1995), The French Connection (1971), amongst others
– Ebert has a great insight into the characters motivations; “his characters operate according to theories of behavior, so that a government minister believes all men, without exception, are bad. And a crooked nightclub owner refuses to be a police informer because it is simply not in his nature to inform.” Ebert correctly points out that the criminals in this film (and really all Melville’s gangster movies) are highly self-aware of the expectations people have for them based on their place in society.
– There are many similarities to Jules Dassin’s Rififi (one of my personal favorites) with the near 30 min heist sequence that is shot is near complete silence, there is also the similarities in the main character getting out of prison in the opening scene
– Verdict: A Masterpiece
Un Flic (1972)
Notes:
– Rather than using one of his brilliant fake quotes Melville instead uses a real quote from a famous criminal turned criminalist Eugène-François Vidocq: “The only feelings mankind has ever inspired in policemen are those of indifference and derision…”
– Melville starts off with one of his trademark blue tinted shots setting the atmosphere followed by men in trench coats and fedoras
– 3rd collaboration of Melville and Delon; the first 2 had him on the other side of the law, here he plays the police inspector
– The opening robbery uses rapid editing speed, basically the polar opposite of the robbery in Le Cercle Rouge
– Catherine Deneuve is solid doing what she does best in playing the icy blond character
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– Thoughts:
– I remembered this as a cookie cutter Melville film that I thought seemed largely inspired with Melville just going through the motions. I am glad I rewatched as I was much more impressed this time around. Still not one of his stronger films but that is more due to the quality of his other films more than any shortcomings here.
– It is sad Melville would not make it past 55, still not a bad film to go out on even if is not one of his best
– Verdict: R/HR
Final Ranking and Grades:
1. Le Samourai, MP
2. Army of the Shadows, MP
3. Le Cercle Rouge, MP
4. Le Deuxième Souffle, MS/MP
5. Bob the Gambler, MS
6. Le Doulos, MS
7. Léon Morin, Priest, HR
8. Un Flic, R/HR
9. La Silence de la Mer, R/HR
10. Les Enfants Terribles, R/HR
11. Two Men in Manhattan, R (barely)
Melville has a coolness to his films that has rarely been equalled. Definitely a big influence on directors like John Woo, Tarantino, and Michael Mann amongst others. His top 3 films are in my opinion clear MP’s and I have Le Samourai in my top 100. I really enjoyed revisiting his films and would definitely recommend him for anyone looking for a director to do a study on.
@James Trapp- congrats on the study here- truly great work
Yes, thank you for your analysis of Melville’s work and here I’m writing to you from Paris where I often go back to the film locations found in Melville’s films; his films have a timeless feel and when you wander past these locations, you feel as though you ought to be looking for clues as left by from the film protagonists, Melville knew better than most the elusive power of seedy locations as possible witnesses of an architecture that would never transit through posterity. He was a one of a kind fillmmaker with the sharpest eye and wit.
@Michael Midoun – Thank you for visiting the site and for this great add here on the Melville page!
My ranking of Melville’s films that I’ve seen:
1. Army of Shadows MP
2. Le Samourai MP
(basically tied)
3. Bob le Flambeur MS
4. Le Cercle Rouge HR
5. Leon Morin, Priest HR
6. Un Flic HR
7. Les Enfants Terribles HR
5 Best Performances:
1. Delon- Le Samourai
2. Signoret- Army of Shadows
3. Ventura- Army of Shadows
4. Duchesne- Bob le Flambeur
5. Belmondo- Leon Morin, Priest