Le Doulos (French slang for a stoolpigeon, or one who rats out a buddy to the cops) tells the story of a fresh-out-of-prison thief named Maurice (Serge Reggiani) who is preparing his next job so he can stop sponging off his girlfriend, Thérèse. Maurice is a rather tired looking fellow with droopy eyelids who smokes constantly. He is helped in his exploits by his friend Silien, played by French New Wave film legend Jean-Paul Belmondo. As in all heist films, the job goes awry and we spend the rest of the following them as they pick up the pieces of the botched job. As in all noire films, the characters are one or two steps from the truth, guilty until proven innocent and never tell the full truth.
It's the first movie I’ve ever scene in which I was consciously aware of the director as a puppeteer: pulling strings, blowing smoke and placing mirrors. The film is full of clever cuts and twists, (one scene ends with a bound and gagged femme fatale staring straight into the camera which transitions to a shot of a fluffy, domesticated dog doing the same; the first scene is something of a shocker) and Melville skillfully paces and layers his story in a way that left me confused and curious. Because it is so deliberate in its execution, the effect of it is somewhat distancing; Dave pointed out on the way home that there is a never a person to whom we relate. The result is less a film about the characters and actions within but a film about film noire itself.
This shouldn't detract from anyone's enjoyment of the film. The print is gorgeous, the actors are French Cool and the shocks lurk around every corner.
- This Wikipedia Biography gives a basic rundown of Jean-Pierre Melville's life and influence.
- Here's what Manohla Dargis, reviewer of The New York Times says in her review.
- Peter Lennon of The Guardian calls Melville a "Poet of the Underground" in this article.
- Here is a review of the Film from Films de France.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment