Plot summary
Patterning himself after the American gangster John Dillinger, the criminal (Robert Hossein) is tracked by the inspector (Charles Aznavour), a former childhood friend. Plenty of gunplay and psychology is used to trap the killer. His only tender moments are spent with his girlfriend Stella (Virna Lisi). Dillinger is cornered by the police and kills several innocent victims in a crowd during the shootout. The mob decides to take things into their own hands as they approach the doomed man with a noose when he runs out of bullets.
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU 720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Very watchable crime-drama, but looks very old.
"I perform miracles with my hands as a pickpocket."
Originally planning to make Rififi the final film in my current Robert Hossein viewings,I suddenly spotted a Film Noir starring Hossein,which I had picked up ages ago and had forgotten about viewing!,which led to me getting ready to go on the heist.
The plot:
Since knowing each other in school,two school friends have been well aware of the different routes they have taken,with Kramer becoming a police officer,whilst his former pal has given himself the name "Dillinger" and has become the leading gangster in the country.Meeting Kramer for the first time in years, Dillinger decides to put an act on and pretend to Kramer that he will calm things down,as Dillinger and his gang set their sights on staging a heist at the border crossings.
View on the film:
Rolling out as a French/Italian co-production,co-writer/(along with Georges & André Tabet) director Sergio Gobbi and cinematographer Daniel Diot hoist the Italian Crime elements to the front. Despite my viewing options not being the best, (90% of the film dubbed in English,and the other 5% being in French with no subtitles! ) these obstacles were not able to block the bonkers delights offed by Gobbi,who spans the roads of France with ultra-stylised tracking shots of smash & grab attacks,which ropes in the random running over of pedestrians,and a baby being caught in the middle of a shoot-out.
Crashing into a sign marked "subtle",the screenplay by Gobbi and the Tabet's give the tough Film Noir gangsters a refreshing comedic bite,with Dillinger and his mob flying dry one liners with the bullets at the cops. Branded with the infamous US gangster name, Robert Hossein gives a terrific performance as Dillinger,thanks to Hossein rolling Dillinger with a menacing atmosphere over beating his former school pal Kramer in the heist.