In 1961, Francois Truffaut wrote of Jacques Becker that ‘he invented his own tempo. He loved fast cars and long meals; he shot two-hour films on subjects that really needed only fifteen minutes.’ All these elements can be found in Touchez pas au Grisbi, a defining French film noir, the pin-striped père of the post-war Parisian underworld thriller.
Jean Gabin stars as ageing criminal Max, whose plans to retire after an airport robbery are dashed by an old friend’s involvement with a nightclub dancer (Jeanne Moreau) and his subsequent kidnap by a rival gang.
What is particularly striking about Becker’s film is its unwavering focus on the quotidian. Apart from its climactic shoot-out, Grisbi is at its best in examining the lifestyle of these high-class truands – foregrounded are the everyday routines of drinking, eating and (of course) smoking. In a memorable, wonderfully naturalistic scene we see Gabin enjoy a light supper, brush his teeth and then neatly slip into pyjamas for bed. A truly masterful noir, the film’s cast is rounded out by the hulking Lino Ventura as Riton’s love-rival.
Gabin, the quintessential tough-guy, and Moreau, resplendent as always, pair up for this heist film, one of the best of the French gangster films of the 1950s. In it, Gabin is an aging thief who has already pulled off what he thinks was his last big job, scoring enough gold to last him through his twilight years. Unfortunately, one of his partners' girlfriends has taken up with the boss of a rival gang and he quickly learns about the big score. Soon, Max's best friend is kidnapped and held for ransom. The blackmail scheme soon turns into a battle of wits between Max and the rival gang that includes a number of double-crosses and, inevitably, leads to tragic finish.
Casque dOr
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Touchez Pas Au Grisbi
