Directed by:
Jean-Pierre MelvilleCinematography:
Henri DecaëComposer:
François de RoubaixCast:
Alain Delon, François Périer, Nathalie Delon, Cathy Rosier, Jacques Leroy, Michel Boisrond, Robert Favart, Jean-Pierre Posier, Catherine Jourdan (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
A dedicated professional killer lies fully clothed in his monochromed apartment, then goes off to a day at the office: stealing a car, killing a man in a nightclub, setting up an ironclad alibi, and outsmarting the police. Two problems: his anonymous employers don't trust him and he's left one witness behind, a beautiful jazz pianist. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (8)
A movie that at the very beginning quotes a text from Bushido, that is called Samurai and on top of that it was made by the authors who gave birth to the legendary era of French crime movies makes me think about whether there is anything about it that could fail. And having seen it, I must say that there isn’t. The only thing is that I had a different idea of a loner than the one presented in this movie.
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Melville's film world features long shots, silent charismatic men, balloon coats, and elegant men's hats. This time, he also played with the image to emphasize the atmosphere. The colors appear faded, with a predominant blue-gray tone. At times, the film looks as if it was shot in black and white. The film comes off as distant, and cold, just like its protagonist - the hitman Jef Costello - a man without emotions, without expression or gestures, mechanically executing what is necessary for the task and survival. The film somewhat resembles Zinnemann's The Day of the Jackal, both in the professional approach of the antihero and the economical narrative style, where the camera records step-by-step the preparations for the crime and its subsequent execution. Alain Delon perfectly suits these types of roles - in fact, I believe that The Godson and Cop Story are his cinematic peaks. He often played silent tough men who could speak with their eyes, but this is the role in which he reduced his vocabulary the most. The elegant appearance of his hitman contrasts with the unfriendly environment of his household and neighborhood, where he survives. I could only fault the film for two things - an impeccable hitman would probably have quickly disposed of his coat after being seen, and secondly, the ending is not just cinematic, but I would say explicitly theatrical. A character from the real world would probably play their final part with more objectivity and civility. I was considering giving it four stars, but I noticed that I always give Melville four stars, and within his filmography, this is definitely one of the peaks. In any case, it is a stylish ride with a sense of detail that fans of the genre will enjoy. Overall impression: 90%.
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A unique film that blends austerity in style with a distinctive formal approach that results in something completely different than could be expected from a thriller about hit-men. It’s dominated by a melancholy, an atmosphere and an aloofness that Melville doesn’t break even in the dialogues limited solely to the most important phrases, which allows for the development of a simple story about revenge, but mainly about loneliness and suppressed emotions. The atmosphere and the captivating portrayal of the protagonist pin the viewer to the screen, so it’s a pity the narrative is set at one expression until the end, which is not very interesting when it comes to the staging, even though it stands out as an idea and as part of a thoughtful piece of work. 85%
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It's a very quiet film in the sense that there is basically no talking. But otherwise, there's quite a lot going on. Alain Delon is a silent killer who knows how to do his job. Instead of his words, his pet will be roaring in your ears, along with his pistol. And all of that in a film that definitely isn't just about killing, but is presented in a properly gritty manner.
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Nobody writes such economical yet accurate and striking dialogue without a single unnecessary word anymore (the
night before Le Samouraï, I saw Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis, which is the exact opposite). Due to screenwriting and
filmmaking precision, which evoked a model European noir crime film for the big screen in the first half of the film, I was
later surprised by the lapses in logic (the escape from the moving walkway, not wiping the chair after installing the
wiretap) and the understated and vague climax stinking of a TV production. [KVIFF]
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