Pépé le Moko (1937)

A wanted gangster is both king and prisoner of the Casbah. He is protected from arrest by his friends, but is torn by his desire for freedom outside. A visiting Parisian beauty may just tempt his fate.

Director:

Julien Duvivier

Writers:

Henri La Barthe (novel) (as Ashelbé), Henri La Barthe (scenario) (as Détective Julien Ashelbé)

Stars:

Jean Gabin, Gabriel Gabrio, Saturnin Fabre

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Gabin	...	Pépé le Moko
Gabriel Gabrio	...	Carlos
Saturnin Fabre	...	Le Grand Père
Fernand Charpin	...	Régis (as Charpin)
Lucas Gridoux	...	Slimane
Gilbert Gil	...	Pierrot (as Gilbert-Gil)
Marcel Dalio	...	L'Arbi (as Dalio)
Charles Granval	...	Maxime (as Granval)
Gaston Modot	...	Jimmy
René Bergeron	...	Meunier (as Bergeron)
Paul Escoffier	...	Louvain (as Escoffier)
Roger Legris	...	Max (as Legris)
Jean Témerson	...	Gravère (as Temerson)
Robert Ozanne	...	Gendron
Philippe Richard	...	Janvier

Storyline

Holed up in the labyrinthine trap of narrow cobblestoned streets and dark dead-end alleys in the bustling Casbah quarter of Algiers, the charismatic leader and elegant Parisian gangster, Pépé le Moko, is starting to reach the end of his tether. Under those pressing circumstances, and always homesick for his beloved Paris after two long years in the impenetrable district, Pépé and his loyal gang find themselves in a constant cat-and-mouse game with the local police and the sly, manipulative detective, Inspector Slimane, trying hard to be one step ahead of them. But, as if that weren't enough, a chance encounter with the dazzling coquette, Gaby, will expose the Achilles' heel of the love-smitten lord of the Casbah, who is now eager to dice with death only to be with her. Is she Pépé le Moko's last chance to leave his squalid criminal haven?

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Plot Keywords:

casbah | algiers algeria | gangster | police inspector | deception | 

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Taglines:

The World's New Triumph!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Walter Wanger produced Algiers (1938), the American remake, he tried to have all copies of this movie destroyed. Fortunately, he was not able to do so.

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Goofs

After Pierrot's death, Pepe is getting progressively drunker, and his suit coat opens to reveal more of his shirt. His shirt has a monogram of "JG" on the pocket, which is the monogram of the actor (Jean Gabin) and not the character.

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Quotes

Janvier: [fist line] This must end!

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood Mouth 3 (2018)

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Soundtracks

Où est-il donc ?
Music by Vincent Scotto
Lyrics by André Decaye and Lucien Carol
Performed by Fréhel

User Reviews

The exotic origin of film noir

Pepe le Moko marks a fundamental step in the aesthetic development of european cinema. It is also one of many great crime films of the thirties that is sadly overlooked in many critics top 100 lists.

Through it's lush sense of location and character Duvivier builds up a sweaty, exotic and complex picture of the underworld life of the Kasbah and the vast panorama of engagingly seedy characters especially Pepe le Moko, played with such effortlessly charismatic ease by Jean Gabin. But it is the rich claustrophobic atmosphere and the relentless pressure of the police that powers this film along to it's elegantly tragic conclusion. A masterpiece, and the clearest fore-runner to the whole film noir genre.

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French Arabic

Release Date:

3 March 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pépé le Moko

Filming Locations:

3 Rue Asselah Hocine, Algiers, Algeria

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$155,895

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$155,895

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paris Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (R.C.A. Photophone)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1