Le Doulos 1962

 

There is plenty of 1962 in this crime thriller from Jean-Pierre Melville. Based on a novel but inspired like a nightmare from many American gangster and crime movies of the 30's, 40's and 50's. This one was shot around a dreary Paris and concerns a group of petty thieves. The main thrust is built upon two of the guys Jean-Paul Belmondo who is a tell all police informant. Le Doulos in fact is French slang for a stoolie but also for the fedora hats that are worn by practically everyone in the film. Along with Belmondo is the wonderful Serge Reggiani another petty thief and the second main thrust who is just released from prison as the film opens. He is on the way to see a jewel thief pal of his and to set up another robbery. The film and story are dense and its at times hard to follow, but the pleasures of the movie are many especially how it looks and moves. As I said there is plenty of 1962 in the movie, from the trench coats and fedoras to the big American cars, and the flashy dames who take plenty of crap from their men.

Betrayal, revenge and dishonor among thieves are at the heart of the film. Set in dingy nightclubs and bars, apartments full of things and night time Paris with some obvious on purpose process shots mostly behind speeding cars gliding along the streets of the city. You almost need a score card to figure out who is doing dirty to who.


Belmondo with that great face and nose of his was on his way to international fame and stardom and he is nasty and misogynistic, sexy and heated up in his many lies and betrayals. The violence comes without warning and some if not all of it is shocking and disturbing. Women as I said are treated with much misogynistic nastiness, and yes this goes with the territory of crime sometimes pays and towers in many of American crime films. We all have our lists.


Melville loved American culture and especially American film noir and he took from them with applause and tribute. I noticed a few references and homage to the great Andre DeTooth crime thriller of 1954 “Crime Wave” and Melville gives his French detective who like Sterling Hayden in “Crime Wave” chews on a tooth pick throughout the film. There is also a doctor in both films who is reduced to being a veterinarian because of his criminal past who now treats gangsters on the run. This kind of M.D.was also a fixture in many crime and gangster films of Hollywood. With the great Michel Piccoli and inky black and white restored beautiful cinematography by Nicolas Hayer.