Yet another superficial, yet mildly entertaining time-waster in the crime genre--a "crime-waster". Alain Delon and Deneuve must be about the best-looking pair in cinema, even if they were not so young anymore in 1982. But that only carries so much weight. This is another in the long line of stories about a hit man who wants out of the "business". In this case it's not so much that he knows too much, it's that he's too good at his job and nobody can truly replace him. When Delon informs the crime boss, a Monsieur Cox, that he wants out, Cox tries to tempt him with money, but Delon stands his ground. After a violent episode, he knows he must flee Paris. His ex-wife, Stéphane Audran, gets him a "turkey factory" ("usine de dindon"), really a turkey farm as a cover for his disappearance. Once there, overrun by frightened fowl, he discovers employee Deneuve, who lives with her abusive, drunken, atonal-jazz-obsessed husband. To the harsh strains of Anthony Braxton, the two men face off and reach a stalemate. The husband departs and the two lovely stars pair up. Later, when hit men (plus one woman) turn up in retribution for one of Delon's past "jobs", some entertaining and over-the-top violence ensues, as Deneuve manages to help Delon overtake the gang when she thrusts a fireplace poker clear through the woman (ouch!!). The violence here, and elsewhere, is quite graphic. The rest of the film consists of numerous narrow escapes and 'deux ex machina' resolutions. Delon and Deneuve are both much better than this material, which was co-written and co-directed by Monsieur Delon. If you don't take it too seriously, it's fun to watch the ridiculous violence and the occasionally beautiful locations.
