Classe Tous Risques

There's nothing irritating or stupid or awful about it, it's just so unremarkable. A typical story about a tragic French gangster, does nothing to stand out from similar works by Melville, Dassin, Becker. Not a waste of time, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you just can't get enough French noir (or Jean-Paul Belmondo, whose sauve presence as a secondary character is far more compelling than Lino Ventura in the lead).

Kinda low-key and slow...but well-crafted.

Well-made crime film that's not only exciting but treats its characters like human beings (in sympathetic and unsympathetic ways)

Claude Sautet is better known for his series of character driven comedic dramas he made in the 70's, so it's somewhat surprising that he made such a tough little crime flick early in his career. It's adapted from a novel by José Giovanni (who's "Le Trou" was adapted the same year by Jacques Becker), and it very seriously feels like a Jean-Pierre Melville film. Melville loved this film, and it influenced his subsequent films.

Good, but maybe not as good as its reputation. It starts off with a bang; robbery and getaway. It was great not to see where it was heading and there were some effective twists. I started to think that Belmondo would have a small role, but he has a lot of screen time even if he joins the party a bit later. Ventura is ice cold as a man haunted by his past and decisions. Rest of the cast is also spot on. Once the tempo slows down, it starts to feel a bit long while waiting for the inevitable end.

A bit slow but some great shots

sympathetic french noir. weakest aspect was the editing, but apart from that, decent all round.

Bem construído noir francês.

everything is all fine and dandy then it ends, just like that. the abrupt ending is really the only problem in the movie.