Le dernier saut (1970) User Reviews

One of the most french thriller from the seventies

[searchanddestroy-1 · 18 May 2008]

I remember this movie from the first time I saw it, in the seventies, when I was a child. At this time, I was amazed to discover a "Columbo" like style in a french film. The tale of a professional soldier - Ronet - who decides to kill his wife and commits then the perfect murder. Everything is meticulously set up by the assassin.

Then, an obstinate - and meticulous too - cop appears in the action, Bouquet, and the investigation begins. Needless to say that you can witness a superb cat and mouse game during all the movie. A delicious one. You can believe me. Unfortunately, this little gem is not often shown on broadcasts.

everybody's got something to hide except for me and my monkey!

[dbdumonteil · 9 November 2012]

Bearing more than a distant resemblance to Chabrol's movies of the era,which the presence of Michel Bouquet and Maurice Ronet (both were featured in "La Femme Infidele") reinforces .

The two principals represent the Order ,an order which was strongly contested ,in the wake of the events of May 68,which were not far behind when the movie was released,actually in the Summer of 1969.This rebellion shows ,more than in the shouts of people in the streets (we hear but never see),in one of the (probably reluctant) draftees ' lines at the beginning of the movie :"it's not our job!"

The title (=the last jump(ing))is a hint at the profession of Ronet's character :a paratroopers staff sergeant who is through with the army after two wars and returns to his home to find his wife kissing another man :did he know about it? was it a premeditated murder? The movie is not very clear,but it does not matter :the director is more interested in the cat and mouse play of the two principals ,played by two of the best actors of the era ;that said , directing is rather weak,the female character is pointless (unless the fact that she takes in the hero's personal monkey in her private "zoo" counts)and the writers do not seem to want to take sides (do they approve of the crowds complaining and longing for "liberation" or do they support the establishment ? Chabrol would leave no doubt about it!)

NB: A cameo by late actor Marc Porel as the young man Bouquet arrests during the "Bal Du Muguet" (in France ,the lily of the valley (=Muguet) symbolizes the class struggle and May),an useless event but which allows Ronet to say one of his best lines to the cop:"you get a real kick out of busting him!"