La Balance

Nominated for eight Césars and triumphant in the Best Film, Actor and Actress categories, this is a bruising policier imbued with French Connection toughness by an Ame... more >

Nominated for eight Césars and triumphant in the Best Film, Actor and Actress categories, this is a bruising policier imbued with French Connection toughness by an American in Paris. Despite producing some amusing shorts, Bob Swaim was going nowhere until he boldly teamed with young inspector M Fabiani to script the hard-boiled tale of a Belleville pimp who is pressurised into snitching on his former mob boss in order to get the cops off his back. Swaim took an even bigger risk in casting both the talented, if unreliable Philippe Léotard in the title role and girl-next-door Nathalie Baye against type as a streetwise hooker. But it paid off critically and commercially with their intense chemistry contrasting strikingly with the thrillingly kinetic action sequences. < less

View all 90 of David Parkinson’s reviews

Sorry it is not the underworld of Marseille at all but very much Paris!
Anyway one of my favourite films, Natalie Baye is beautiful, intelligent and extremely movi... more >

Sorry it is not the underworld of Marseille at all but very much Paris!
Anyway one of my favourite films, Natalie Baye is beautiful, intelligent and extremely moving. The story, though a classic thriller actually breaks your heart.
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View all 2 of Scouse Frog’s reviews

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DVD Extras

• Audio commentary from director Bob Swaim
• Behind the scenes footage
• Trailers for La Balance and Cheap Shot
• Two short films by Bob Swaim - Portrait of a Pornographer (1971) & Vive Les Jacques (1972)
• Photo gallery
• Biographies of stars and director
• Booklet with storyboards, script notes and photos.

Film Details

Cast

Nathalie Baye, Philipe Leotard

Technical Details