I've seen a few films noir in recent months.
First, Dassin's Du rififi chez les hommes (Rififi, 1955),
based on Auguste Le Breton's novel of the same name. I really
enjoyed it, but due to circumstances I missed the last half
hour or so. I'll have to get it out again. The long silent
heist scene is rightfully famous. If you want noir, this is
it, filmically speaking. According to imbd, a remake with Al
Pacino is in the offing. (Do we really need it?)
Next, Monicelli's Tutti i soliti ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna
Street, 1958). It's got classic film noir features, but it's
a comedy inspired by Rififi. It also has a lot in common with
The Asphalt Jungle. Really great. A bunch of petty
criminals--all well-defined characters--get together to break
into the safe in a pawn shop. They plan carefully, then
everything goes awry. The new subtitles are very contemporary
(for example, one guy asks if it rains much in his pal's
"hood"), apparently a big improvement on the ones when the
movie first came out.
There's a rundown on it here, but it describes many major
scenes and the ending, so you may not want to read the whole
thing if you like surprises.
http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue10/reviews/bigdeal/text.htm
Last, Tavernier's Coup de Torchon (Clean Slate, 1981), based
on Jim Thompson's Pop. 1280, which I really must read one of
these days. It's hard to go wrong with Philippe Noiret. He's
perfect in the part of the one and only policeman in small
pre-independence West African town that everyone pushes
around and takes advantage of, until one day, he's had
enough. He starts meting out justice, i.e., shooting people.
It's as if a switch is flicked: softspoken, mild-mannered
pushover to softspoken, mild-mannered vigilante killer. In
fact, I had a little trouble buying his change. I'm going to
be thinking about the ending for a while.
In the archives, Rene Ribic praised Kubrick's The Killing,
based on a novel by Lionel White called Clean Slate, adapted
for the screen with the help of Jim Thompson. Seems kind of
circular. Was White's Clean Slate inspired by Pop.
1280?
Karin
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