Razzia

Decoin started as a sports reporter, and there is much more of trying to describe the milieu of drug users than moving the story forward. Gabin does a good job playing the international criminal brought in to revamp a drug ring by the sleek, sinister Dalio. Albert Remy and Lino Ventura as the killers are appropriately thuggish. Magali Noel, with her adorable sloe-eyed look and sensual mouth, is Gabin's girl-friend. Fellini must have loved her, he used her in three pictures.

At about the 60 minute mark, the film goes badly off the rails with the arrival of Lila Kedrova's junkie character; we're shunted off to one louche bar after another (gay and lesbian thrills abound) in the search for drugs. You are left waiting impatiently for the final shoot-out that you are sure will happen.