The Crook (1971)

Touches You

Fantastic!

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

A classy but not entirely successful crime thriller from director Claude Lelouch. Jean-Louis Trintignant stars as career criminal who, after being busted for kidnapping a child, escapes from jail and is bent on getting revenge on one of his turncoat cohorts (to say anymore would spoil things). Trintignant is dynamite as a seedy, amoral louse who'll stop at nothing as he arrogantly eludes police capture. He's supported by the likes of Daniele Delorme (whose case of Stockholm syndrome hits very quickly), Christine Lelouch, Charles Gérard and Amidou as a not-so- trustful gun salesman. Best of all is Charles Denner as the very nervous father of the kidnap victim. There's some pretty hyperactive music by Francis Lai that really can't mask the fact that not much is happening during the film's first half. The plot kicks in and the film's second half is very enjoyable. Lelouch did the cinematography as well...as he's done for a number of his films.

A man escapes from prison and seeks the loot he had stashed away five years earlier. The middling narrative moves in fits and starts, with scenes unfolding at a leisurely pace. In particular, there's an elaborate kidnapping scene that plays out in such minute detail that it loses all momentum. The presentation is rather confusing. In fact, the flashback to the events of five years earlier is so clumsily handled that it takes a while for it to become clear that earlier events are being recounted. It opens with an extended prologue, a movie within the movie, that overstays its welcome. The same could be said of the film, which runs out of steam long before the end.

I do not go much for Lelouch's stuff ,which is to the French cinema what Mac Donald is to gastronomy.But,and this is crucial,there are exceptions."La Vie,L'Amour ,La Mort" which was a semi-flop ,was a sincere plea against death penalty;and there are two delicious comedies:one of them is "La Belle Année" (1974) ,and the other is this film .It's about a child's abduction but things are not what they seem,and at a time when unexpected twists have become de rigueur ,I think one could remake "le voyou".The film takes also at a slap at the commercials and the "Thank you,Simca ( cars)" scene is worth the price of admission.Also features Sacha Distel at the Olympia ,the famous Paris music hall: he sings "Toute La PLuie Tombe Sur Moi" ;a French cover of "raindrops keep fallin' on my head".Good cast with a dynamic Jean-Louis Trintignant,who starred in Lelouch's Cannes Palme d'Or 1966 "Un Homme et Une Femme" ,and Charles Denner.Anachronisms: the kidnapping was supposed to happen in 1965;but "raindrops keep fallin' on my head " was a 1970 song,so Distel could not sing a cover in 1965.Ditto for the "Un homme et Une Femme" (1966) private joke!

I watched lately this movie and enjoyed a lot. I love old French movies anyway. But this one had kind of nice storyline in it also. It was directed quite well. Picture didn't jump around and kept in line with story. It had even some musical touch and it was nice to hear old French songs. It didn't to become boredom though. It stopped singing fast enough. Movie was filmed around cities in different European countries and scenes were pretty. Also acting work was professional level and much more robust than Hollywood acting. Less sugar coating! I would recommend this movie to any Francophile and also crime movie liker! It is really fun to watch and something different from nowadays.