Backfire (1964)
"Échappement libre" (original title)

Director:

Jean Becker

Writers:

Jean Becker, Daniel Boulanger (dialogue),

Stars:

Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, Enrico Maria Salerno

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	David Ladislas
Jean Seberg	...	Olga Celan
Enrico Maria Salerno	...	Mario
Renate Ewert	...	The Countess with Mario
Jean-Pierre Marielle	...	Van Houde
Wolfgang Preiss	...	Grenner
Diana Lorys	...	Rosetta
Fernando Rey	...	Commissioner of Beirut harbor
Michel Beaune	...	Daniel
Roberto Camardiel	...	Stefanidès
Xan das Bolas	...	Guard of the boat parking (as Xan Das Bolas)
Petar Martinovitch	...	Otto
Carmen de Lirio	...	1st girl in bed with Mario
Fernando Sancho	...	Ilmaz
Margarita Gil

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

photographer | throat slitting | organized crime | criminal organization | stealing food | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime

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Details

Country:

France Italy Spain West Germany

Language:

French

Release Date:

4 September 1964 (France)

Also Known As:

Backfire

Filming Locations:

Geneva, Canton de Genève, Switzerland

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 11,799,296 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sud-Pacifique Films, Capitole Films, Producciones Benito Perojo

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

Entertaining thriller with an air of comedy

Entertaining thriller with an air of comedy, "échappement free" is the second film by Jean Becker, son of Jacques Becker teacher and author of some recent high-quality films, like "Les enfants du marais" or "Dialogue avec mon Gardener" The argument is quite topical and conventional, focusing on David Ladislas (Belmondo), a smuggler responsible for a complex criminal organization of illegally transporting a large amount of gold from Barcelona to Beirut, with the help of Olga Celan (Seberg). Once there, Ladislas attempt to appropriate the gold, being pursued by the organization as referred to in a long journey that will take you to Athens, Patras, Naples, Rome and Bremen.

The film has a great cast, headed by Belmondo and Seberg, stars again after the celebrated duo who play in "À bout de soufflé" and whose work is accompanied by great side as Gert Fröbe ("It geschah am hellichten Tag "" Goldfinger ") and Fernando Rey. Properly shot, without fanfare or flaws, the film manages to entertain the viewer, which runs through much of Europe at the hands of the protagonists, many sequences are located in real world scenarios (Athens, Naples, Rome, Bremen) and others, such as that take place in the Syrian desert, were filmed in Almeria. Perhaps the weakest aspect is the script, rather irregular and unnatural dialogues with some, if not unnecessary, but generally can not be said to be bad, but rather conventional, lacking nerve.

Therefore, "free échappement" is a film without much pretension to be a good entertainment, pleasing the audience for its cosmopolitanism and good performances.