IMDb RATING
6.8/10
5.2K
YOUR RATING
During the 1930s, in Marseilles, France, two small time crooks work for local crime bosses until they decide to go into business for themselves.During the 1930s, in Marseilles, France, two small time crooks work for local crime bosses until they decide to go into business for themselves.During the 1930s, in Marseilles, France, two small time crooks work for local crime bosses until they decide to go into business for themselves.
- Awards
- 3 nominations
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film was based on real life gangsters Paul Carbone and François Spirito. Alain Delon found the story in a book he was reading about French gangsters from 1900 to 1970. He produced the film looking for a vehicle for him to co-star with Jean-Paul Belmondo.
- GoofsWhen François Capella (Belmondo) goes to the beach with Roch Siffredi (Delon), François wears his black swimsuit the wrong way around. His nipples are visible. The back is his front, and in some shots where he comes back with Ginette he has the swimsuit on the right side. In some shots he has the swimsuit on the wrong way again, which repeats.
- Quotes
Simone Escarguel: Do you think it may be dangerous for him?
Roch Siffredi: Women are always dangerous.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Tango Bar (1987)
- SoundtracksPrends-Moi Matelot
Music by Claude Bolling
Lyrics by Jacques Deray and Jean-Claude Carrière
Performed by Odette Piquet
Featured review
This may not be the best of Jacques Deray's nine collaborations with Alain Delon but it is certainly the most commercially successful. Delon maintained that Deray was the director with whom he had the greatest affinity which is praise indeed considering his sterling work for such luminaries as Visconti, Melville, Verneuil and Clément!
Based upon Scammano's novel 'Bandits at Marseilles' about real life gangsters Carbone and Spirito whose names have naturally been changed, this is essentially a vehicle for Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo who are both at the height of their popularity and in their physical prime. The pairing proved to be a masterstroke as both actors possess charisma in spades whilst Delon's measured coolness is balanced by Belmondo's easy-going amiability.
Set in 1930's Marseilles this has excellent period detail, a catchy if somewhat repetitious theme by Claude Bolling, female interest in the shape of elegant Francoise Christophe, mysterious Corinne Marchand and delectable Catherine Rouvel and as a bonus we have the always good value Michel Bouquet as a shady lawyer.
Plenty of mucho-macho posturing of course and corpses galore with a shootout set in an abattoir that will have assorted veggies and vegans foaming at the mouth. The imaginative ways in which various low-lifes are bumped off anticipate 'The Godfather' although Deray's film lacks the psychological depth of Coppola's masterpiece. Deray was also said to be influenced by Melville but lacks that director's Existentialist feel. What is certain is that Deray made his mark in the thriller genre which he considered to be 'spectacle of the higher order.'
Based upon Scammano's novel 'Bandits at Marseilles' about real life gangsters Carbone and Spirito whose names have naturally been changed, this is essentially a vehicle for Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo who are both at the height of their popularity and in their physical prime. The pairing proved to be a masterstroke as both actors possess charisma in spades whilst Delon's measured coolness is balanced by Belmondo's easy-going amiability.
Set in 1930's Marseilles this has excellent period detail, a catchy if somewhat repetitious theme by Claude Bolling, female interest in the shape of elegant Francoise Christophe, mysterious Corinne Marchand and delectable Catherine Rouvel and as a bonus we have the always good value Michel Bouquet as a shady lawyer.
Plenty of mucho-macho posturing of course and corpses galore with a shootout set in an abattoir that will have assorted veggies and vegans foaming at the mouth. The imaginative ways in which various low-lifes are bumped off anticipate 'The Godfather' although Deray's film lacks the psychological depth of Coppola's masterpiece. Deray was also said to be influenced by Melville but lacks that director's Existentialist feel. What is certain is that Deray made his mark in the thriller genre which he considered to be 'spectacle of the higher order.'
- brogmiller
- Jul 11, 2022
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Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,090,000
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