Flic Story

A ruthless gangster (Trintignant) is on the loose and he seems to be killing for fun. But inspector Borniche (Delon) is on his tail. Set in immediate postwar France (1947) this is based on a true story (from Borniche himself). Everything about this movie is spot-on : the direction, the actors, the impeccable recreation of France in the forties, etc... Delon is perfect as the laconic inspector and Trintignant as the coldblooded gangster whose favourite handgun is the Walther P38, a Germanmade pistol (as repeated frequently in the movie). You will be at the edge of your seat : they don't make 'em like that anymore !

Sitting through this for the first time I was under the delusion it had been directed by Melville, although it didn't seem to be quite his style. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't, but by someone called Deray, whom I'd never heard of. The history of the pursuit, over several years, of a dedicated cop after an unrestrained and ruthless thief and killer, it turns out to be a masterpiece, with depth. Gradually it grows clear that the two men are psychologically related: two sides of one coin. It dawns on the viewer, or it did on this one, that it's to be doubted if there's anything that can be called free will. Both men are creatures of circumstance, who have not really chosen their destinies. There is a curious rapport between them. Cops need robbers, like cowboys need Indians. Each can look on the other and think: there, but for arbitrary fortune, go I. Buisson's use of his gun seems as natural and spontaneous as any of Tarantino's reservoir dogs. Borniche suffers his own harassment and pressures. No man chooses his birth or the pattern of his life. Or does he ? A thought-inducing experience.

As 'Roman-Policiers' go this is pretty good with its muted tones and sense of period and of Jacques Deray's output is the one that comes nearest to the style of Jean-Pierre Melville although one can never beat the original! It stars Alain Delon who made nine films with Deray and filmed the last of his three with Melville in 1972.

Roger Borniche who died last year at 101, utilised his experiences as a Police Inspector to inform his series of crime novels. This film deals with his most famous exploit in which he uses his resourcefulness and unorthodox methods to capture Emile Buisson, France's Public Enemy number 1 of 1950.

Delon is at the height of his popularity here and although far too attractive as Borniche he brings his customary 'edge' and aura of unpredictability to the role which I think is one of his best.

Everyone loves a villain so they say, not least actors(!) and the superlative Jean-Louis Trintignant relishes the role of psychopath Buisson. Being a thoroughly bad boy he naturally exerts a fascination over the female of the species and even Borniche's partner played by Claudine Auger, remarks on his lovely eyes!

As expected there are plenty of interesting 'types' here and mention must be made of Paul Crauchet who impresses as a petty criminal forced to turn informer.

An extra dimension is added here in the relationship that develops between Borniche and Buisson during the lengthy interrogations that take place after Buisson's arrest. It has been suggested that policemen have an inverted criminal mentality and here Borniche certainly adopts some highly questionable methods to get his man. These two characters could be said to represent both sides of the same coin. It is, according to Borniche, the childhood of Buisson that made his life of crime inevitable. The question as to whether it is Nature or Nurture or indeed a combination of both that makes us what we are is unlikely ever to be resolved.

It so happened for me to watch it at the age of 54.

Had no clue whatsoever about this film.

In my book it is one proof too many that police / crime thrillers are no longer conceived in this fashion.

For the mere reason that film industry is going down the drain.

And it is a pity.

Do yourself a favour and watch it.

Regardless your generation.

Keep the flame of worthy film watching, lit.

Cheers.

It's refreshing to watch a movie that gives the impression someone actually wrote a script about a story they wanted to tell and the story makes sense. It doesn't happen so often nowadays when most movies are self-indulgent; open-endedly boring or patronizing.

Delon and Trintignant, two of the biggest French stars of the 70s are respectively Borniche (the cop) and the killer-robber Buisson. The story is told in a linear way - thank you! - without special effects and only one car chase, short and realist enough.

Borniche is a top detective charged to find Buisson, a cold-hearted, pitiless criminal who escaped from prison. Loosely based on a real story - the chase lasted several years - Borniche is a sort of good cop, interested only in justice and reprimanding is "bad cop" colleagues, while there isn't much justification for Buisson violence. Therefore, the moral compass isn't too skewed.

I watched this in French and being my first Delon/Trintignant film, I was disappointed only by their ordinary, unsexy voices. Trintignant was especially chilly as the criminal, Delon convincing as the quiet cop, violence was few and far between and even more shocking because shown in all its meaningless brutality.