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

Favorite storyline of Quentin Tarantino.

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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

References City Streets (1931)

User Reviews

A Great and Unheralded Film Noir

Made at pretty much the halfway point between Melville's Bob le Flambeur (1955) and Le Samourai (1967), Le Doulos contains elements of both. Belmondo plays Silien, a man thought by some to be a police informer. ("Doulos" means informer or Finger Man, which is the title in English.) Reggiani plays Maurice, who has just gotten out of prison and is getting involved with another robbery attempt. His friend Silien offers to help, and the film revolves around the tension over whether Silien is an informant or not. It's another exploration by Melville of the grey area between those who enforce the law and those who break it, of the uneasy yet powerful relationships that can develop between people on "opposite" sides of the line.

Belmondo and Reggiani are both excellent. The black and white photography by Nicholas Hayer - who also did Cocteau's Orphée and Clouzot's Le Corbeau - is superb, from the wonderfully atmospheric opening sequence (Melville may be THE master of opening sequences) to the stunning, Cocteau-like shot of a man staring into a mirror that closes the film. The plot line gets a bit complicated at times, with rival gangs, a previous jewel heist, murder, betrayals, love affairs, etc. Hard to follow. Which is to say, it's a classic example of film noir. And the jazzy soundtrack by Paul Misraki heightens the cool, noirish sensibility of the film. Whatever his failings as a director, Melville definitely knew how to create a great atmosphere.

Le Doulos is definitely worth checking out, especially by fans of film noir, Melville or Belmondo.