Farewell, Friend

Adieu L'ami/Farewell,Friend is a near perfect film in which a viewer is assured that there is all possibility of entertainment guaranteed.This is because apart from strong men in the form of maverick actors namely Alain Delon and Charles Bronson,there are also good performances by beautiful women such as Brigitte Fossey and Olga Georges Picot.It is true that "Adieu L'ami" respects all the conventions of heist film genre but it cannot be classified as an ordinary heist film as it is only until the end that the viewers have to guess about the actual perpetrators of a financial crime.This effect has been created by treating everybody as a suspect.As a different type of heist film, the theme of men being overshadowed by women develops slowly.This gives viewers ample time to develop their loyalties.Before directing this film, Jean Herman had already made around 15 short films.As far as screenwriter is concerned, this is Sébastien Japrisot's second film.He is best remembered for having written "L'été Meurtrier" for Jean Becker (Jacques Becker's son) which starred Isabelle Adjani and Alain Souchon.

It was a time when Charles Bronson was featured in French/European productions;for the record ,one can mention "Le Passager de la Pluie "(1969) by René Clément,"De la Part des Copains " (1970)by Terence Young and the curious "Quelqu'un Derrière la Porte" (1971)where he teamed up with Anthony Perkins .

"Adieu L'Ami" is arguably best of Bronson's adventures in France ,and best of Jean Herman's small filmography .It's his only success in France "Jeff" feat Delon again being looked upon as a failure. In "Adieu L'Ami" ,Bronson replaces ,in a certain manner,Lino Ventura. The plot is suspenseful in the grand tradition of Boileau-Narcejac's frame-ups .It's one of the rare Sebastien Japrisot's scripts which does not fall apart after the second reel.The scenes in the corridor climax the movie.What a night!

A note about the cast:

Olga-Georges Picot ,after several conventional parts,sank into porno films and prematurely died.

Brigitte Fossey,whose performance in Clement's "Jeux Interdits" (1952:she was five then)was praised to the skies around the world,came back to making movies in 1967 ("Le Grand Meaulnes").It was the second effort of her second career.She is still acting .

Although Bernard Fresson (who recently died)had begun his career with Resnais ("Hiroshima Mon Amour" ,1959) it took him ten years to draw the French audience's attention : his part of a cop was hailed by the critics.

An engaging psychological thriller, it's got some fights, girls, guns, muscles and chase scenes, but that's not the point. Ultimately, this film is about friendship and honor. It's a guys' flick, although girls too will be rewarded with Alain Delon's divine mug in plenty a closeup. It is probably Charles Bronson's finest performance ever, and one of Delon's best films. Made entirely in English, this is a good chance for an American viewer to appreciate French thrillers. While trying to imitate Hollywood first, they ended up being much better than the original. This movie will probably not change you as a person, but it will resonate with you.

Alain Delon and Charles Bronson star in "Farewell, Friend" also known as Honor Among Thieves. I believe this film was originally in French, but Delon and Bronson dubbed their own English.

The two men are home from the French Foreign Legion in North Africa. Franz Propp (Bronson) is a mercenary and invites Dino (Delon) to join him. Dino says no.

Figuring he has something interesting on the horizon, Propp starts following him around, which infuriates Dino. He's supposed to help a woman who was a friend of his buddy replace a huge amount of bonds in a safe over Christmas break.

The company she works for is in need of a doctor, which Dino is, and Dino takes the job and sets up a camera to record the numbers of the safe. He then finds out there is $2 million to be left there over Christmas. Unfortunately the camera only shows 3 numbers clearly of the combination.

Propp, of course, wants the money and won't leave the premises. The two stay in the basement of this building for the Christmas weekend, with Dino desperate to get rid of Propp most of the time.

They take turns trying safe combinations and as time goes on, play tricks on one another. Dino buys all the food in the vending machine and then hides it in a table; later, as they're hiding, guards take the table, thus leaving them both with no food.

They lock each other in and out of places. Then their room becomes a sweat box when they are locked in and Propp tries to go through a wall and cuts the air conditioning wires by accident. This gives them an opportunity to remove their shirts so we can see their bodies. Needless to say they both look great.

The questions are - can they open the safe, can they get out of the building when it opens on Tuesday, and the big one, can they live until Tuesday?

This film, which looked to be an adventure/heist type of thing is actually very funny. Bronson and Delon work beautifully together and have a lot of chemistry. And they do learn they have one thing in common - loyalty.

Someone said this film is slow - I didn't find it so. It's a real macho film with charming stars and a lot of humor. And the gorgeous Delon is given many closeups and at one point is in blue pajamas which emphasize his eyes.

I enjoyed it.

It is my personal opinion that "adieu l´ami" is one of the most underestimated movies of alain delon. Its psychological structure is of a highly complex density and needs to be analysed more. Especially the ambivalent role of women, sex and violence makes plenty of different interpretations possible. I propose to view "adieu l´ami" as an early outlook to the risky and multi-individualistic lifestyle and social attitude of the late ninetees. Comparing now the plot of "adieu l´ami" to the reality of western societies it must be seen as a masterpiece of impressing directive power.