Le Doulos (1963)

A burglar betraying other criminals, prepares for a big heist with a trusted friend that might be as untrustworthy as he.

Director:

Jean-Pierre Melville

Writers:

Pierre Lesou (based on the novel by), Jean-Pierre Melville (adaptation)

Stars:

Jean-Paul Belmondo, Serge Reggiani, Jean Desailly

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	Silien
Serge Reggiani	...	Maurice Faugel
Jean Desailly	...	Le commissaire Clain
René Lefèvre	...	Gilbert Varnove (as René Lefevre)
Marcel Cuvelier	...	Un inspecteur
Philippe March	...	Jean (as Aimé De March)
Fabienne Dali	...	Fabienne
Monique Hennessy	...	Thérèse
Carl Studer	...	Kern
Christian Lude	...	Le docteur
Jacques De Leon	...	Armand
Jacques Léonard	...	Un inspecteur (as Jack Leonard)
Paulette Breil	...	Anita
Philippe Nahon	...	Remy
Charles Bayard	...	Le vieil homme

Storyline

Burglar Maurice Faugel has just finished his sentence. He murders Gilbert Vanovre, a receiver, and steals the loot of a break-in. He is also preparing a house-breaking, and his friend Silien brings him the needed equipment. But Silien is a police informer ... A movie whose "all characters are two-faced, all characters are false", according to director Jean-Pierre Melville.

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Plot Keywords:

running from police | black and white photography | smoking in bed | ex convict | female frontal nudity | 

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Taglines:

Raw! Shocking! Savage!

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

2 March 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Doulos: The Finger Man

Filming Locations:

Studios Jenner, Rue Jenner, Paris 13, Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,362, 1 July 2007, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$82,772, 6 January 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Compagnia Cinematografica Champion,Rome Paris Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Martin Scorsese's favorite gangster movie.

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Goofs

In the night club, the trombonist's slide movements don't match the music on the sound track.

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Connections

Referenced in Les échos du cinéma: Episode #1.50 (1962)

User Reviews

A lot of filling with more than enough substance.

More often than not, French gangster films that owe so much to early American gangster films come off as cakes with more icing than cake. This is not the case with Jean-Pierre Melville, whose Bob le Flambeur is a powerful tale of a compulsive gambler who attempts to right his own life and the lives of those he cares for. In Le Doulos, the story focuses on a gangster, Maurice, just released from prison who immediately gets back on the other side of the law and begins to get involved in the ever-constant struggle between French police and organized crime.

This film obviously owes a great deal to early American gangster films, as so much of Melville does, but what makes it slightly different is the complexity of character and plot Melville injects into the story. There are numerous layers of action going on here; each character is as duplicitous as possible so motivations are always in question and the audience never really can tell who exactly is on which side until the final conclusion. Yet, it is never too confusing and never dull to watch as Melville invites us to explore closer the beautiful fluid camera work and the stunning and stark cinematography.

The acting is also quite effective, especially Serge Reggiani as the world-worn Maurice whose face says more than anything else, and French cinema legend Jean-Paul Belmondo as the too cool for his own good Silien. All in all, a very entertaining and well-made caper thriller that compared to today's shoot 'em ups consists of more than enough cake with the right amount of icing as well.