Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Delon

Okay, the last two films, Le Cercle Rouge and Un Flic, both starring Alain Delon, first with a mustache as a gangster and then without a mustache as a policeman. Delon was born to act in films by Melville. He hardly changes expression in the two movies. But why should he? He's Alain Delon. How iconic can you get?
The first film also stars Bourvil as a policeman, an actor that was best known for comedies. It's a bit like if Bob Hope had been in an American film noir, I suppose, but it works well.
The heist is done in complete silence, just like in Rififi. Except dancers in a nightclub there are no women in the film. It's another tale of loyalty and betrayal. And, oh, all the gangsters die in the end.

In Un flic the gangster is played by Richard Crenna. The film has a feeling of being more an international production, but I don't know, that might not be the case. It's the one film in the box that has no extra material or commentary track. The story could have taken place anywhere, and even has a generic train and helicopter action-sequence.
There are not that much talking in the film. The dialogue could probably fit in a small note book.
There's also Catherine Deneuve as sort of the woman caught in the middle, but she doesn't get that much to do. All three main characters are enigmas in the film, something that I normally would have liked, but here makes you remain on the outside looking in.

Both films are in colour, and I must admit that I miss the black and white from Le Doulos. And both films are very slow, like a lot of films from that period, the late sixties / early seventies. Even for someone that doesn't like the fast MTV-style editing of modern films it's a bit slow. And especially in the last film, the characters and situations feel a bit old, but without that being the point.

3 comments:

  1. hi jason,
    finally i see u on internet with this interesting blog.
    i write for an italian site about comics: http://conversazionisulfumetto.wordpress.com/
    i wonder if u can do a little interview for me.
    let me know, i love ur comics and i want to speak with you about them.
    let me know at this email address pls: conversazionisulfumetto@email.it

    i hope you can find a little time for this,
    thanks a lot and all the best,

    andrea.

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  2. Hello Jason,
    I totally love your comics, and these entries about French polars are great, but please don't spoil the endings! Some of us out there still hope to watch those movies some time in the future...

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  3. Oops, sorry! You're right. I'll try to avoid that. In The Crying Game the girl is a guy, by the way.

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