Alain Delon plays hitman Jef Costello in this Noir classic by director Jean-Pierre Melville. Set in Paris, Jef has been hired to kill a night-club owner (for reasons never explained). After committing what seemed the perfect crime, Jef is seen by La Pianiste (The Pianist, as she's credited), played by Cathy Rosier, upon leaving. The Superintendent of police, played by François Périer, gets the call on this crime and shuts down the city in his determined hunt to catch the criminal. Jef, who set up his alibis with his "girlfriend"/woman who just loves dangerous men (played by Nathalie Delon, his wife at the time), and friends playing poker at a hotel in the city, gets called into the the police department for questioning, thus starting the love/hate affair between he and the Superintendent. After being released, because his alibis are just too good and convenient, the Superintendent keeps a watch on him. Also, the people who hired him want him dead, for fear of him leading the cops to them. Thus, a mad rush of cat & mouse ensues.One of the things I like the most about the film is its spartan nature. No dialogue is uttered for the first 10 minutes of the film. Yeah, action is happening, but no one talks. This shows a nice parallel to Jef's spartan life. His home is in a nowhere part of the city, and he has minimal furnishings and amenities (except a bird that helps him out of a jam, or two), he has no solid figures in his life, and when he does talk, it's short, sweet and to the point. The scenes are no-frills, carrying no extra space that could drag the film down, and packing a punch that keeps you engaged throughout.
The other thing I really like about the film is the cinematography. The opening shot of Jef on his bed, smoking a cigarette is so beautiful to watch, that a short film could have been made of just that. This beauty continues throughout the film, through a contryside excursion, into a jazz nightclub, the beautiful penthouse The Pianist lives in, and really any other shot in the film.
Alain Delon does have a James Dean quality about him, what with his dark & broody eyes and demeanor. But this is on a more subdued level which adds so much to his character. It's magnetic to watch. François Périer's Superintendent is a great foil to that energy. His relentlessness in pursuing Jef almost verges on mania at times, leading to a high-tension resolution to this film. Both actors work so well off of each other.
If you haven't seen this film yet, do yourself a favor and give it a chance. If you are the type who needs big-budget explosions and huge CGI effects, skip it. No frills here. Just a great study of just how full minimalism in film can really be.
The other thing I really like about the film is the cinematography. The opening shot of Jef on his bed, smoking a cigarette is so beautiful to watch, that a short film could have been made of just that. This beauty continues throughout the film, through a contryside excursion, into a jazz nightclub, the beautiful penthouse The Pianist lives in, and really any other shot in the film.
Alain Delon does have a James Dean quality about him, what with his dark & broody eyes and demeanor. But this is on a more subdued level which adds so much to his character. It's magnetic to watch. François Périer's Superintendent is a great foil to that energy. His relentlessness in pursuing Jef almost verges on mania at times, leading to a high-tension resolution to this film. Both actors work so well off of each other.
If you haven't seen this film yet, do yourself a favor and give it a chance. If you are the type who needs big-budget explosions and huge CGI effects, skip it. No frills here. Just a great study of just how full minimalism in film can really be.
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