The ending was sort of flat and it makes the "'Casino Royale' mistake" of thinking that watching someone play cards is even slightly riveting. The old-timer playing Bob had style, though.
I thought it had more New Wave than film noir to it, which for me was quite disappointing. It has a handful of nice characters, but I certainly prefer Touchez Pas au Grisbi.
Fun movie to watch with some great characters(especially the titular Bob). It's not dark like you'd expect from a noir-style film like this one, but it works with what Melville was going for. The ending is pretty predictable from just 5 or 10 minutes in, but it's a good ride with a lot of Melville's stylish flourish.
There is literally nothing here that is very remarkable. The characters, the direction, the writing and the cinematography aren't interesting at all. There are tons of better crime films. I suspect this is praised more because of Melville's name being on it more than the actual content. The killing scenes are so lame and unrealistic and horribly filmed that I can't believe no one's complained about them. The French should thank Truffaut daily for saving French cinema and making it what it is.
I see this as a transitional movie for Melville. Stylistically he is searching for his voice; the directing and editing are for the most part conventional, with a few prototypically new-wavish elements, e.g. some shots noticeably handheld. Thematically it's still an off-the-shelf crime film, adapted from Auguste Le Breton (whose other caper, Rififi as adapted by Jules Dassin, is better). It's not a great movie. I don't buy Bob's character for a second, and across the board the acting is weak.
The ingredients of an American noir infused with the essence of French cool. I initially thought this was slow to get going, but it began to win me over when I realised the film is about Bob, not the heist. I liked the contrasts; Bob is a crook, but he appears respectable. He lives in the shadows, but is cheerful and kind. He's a compulsive gambler, but takes no chances when planning the robbery. It's a crime film, but has a light and breezy tone. Opposites... red and black, heads and tails...
A true template heist film. That alone is important and fun enough, but Melville and Duchesne let the whole thing leisurely saunter in a haze of so much freaking Cool that the film is elevated beyond mere genre into something else entirely.
Melville is such an amazing director. I loved the ending line more than anything else in the movie, "If I get a really top lawyer then maybe I'll sue for damages." Ahahaha ownage
Not a whole lot to say, just a really fun flick. I loved the lighting and the romantic air that hung about the streets of Montmartre. You really want to inhabit that world. It's interesting that although Bob has a soft spot for women, one gets the feeling that Melville might have a touch of the misogynist in him. It's the women in the film who mess things up, at one point even "Lady Luck" gets blamed.
Brilliant precursor to the New Wave. Fundamentally, there isn't a lot going on here that's wholly original, but Melville's genius shows through to make it utterly creative. He seemed more concerned with character than trade. At the middle of it is Duschesne's Bob, who's charming and respectable demeanor takes away the standard gloom and doom of French crime films in favor for a more brisk, almost light-hearted film.
A charming and constantly delightful film. Duchesne's portrayal of Bob, a broke, unlucky gambler with a sense of morality, is excellent; honor among thieves is a cliche, but this is a well-developed and sympathetic, engaging character. It's far less dark than most noirs; Melville apparently had the intention of creating somewhat of a "comedy noir," and he succeeded.
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