Le Cercle Rouge (1970)

Directed by Jean Pierre Melville and starring a cast including Alain Delon and Yves Montand, this crime film hearkens back to heist films such as The Asphalt Jungle, back in the 1950s. In a cold open two storylines are introduced. One man, Vogel, is in custody and is handcuffed to a policeman as they board a train. At the same time a man named Corey is let out of prison, on good behavior, and he is tipped off on a possible heist job. In both cases we have little background information to go on. Then Corey pops in unexpectedly on an old mob boss and forcibly “borrows” some money from the man who has also stolen his girl. He buys a new car and throws off a couple of thugs who were sent after him. As the morning dawns, the captive on the train makes a daring escape and flees into the nearby forest. Soon roadblocks are set and the manhunt begins. He desperately gets into an open car trunk to hide, ironically it is the same car of the man who was recently released. However, he was noticed and Corey tells to get out of his hiding place.  Vogel is tense but his cool and collected acquaintance helps him sneak through a checkpoint noting that Paris is his best chance of escape. Corey is chased down once again by Rico’s henchmen, but Vogel sneaks out and comes to his aid. They head to Paris and find a sharpshooter to case the jewelry store and help them with their plan. The police detective is still searching for his quarry, and he tries to enlist the help of a crooked club owner. Meanwhile the plans are made and the heist is pulled off with great precision and efficiency. They get away with the jewels smoothly enough. However, the marksman settles to take no part of the plunder and their initial buyer falls through. Relatively quickly there is a new person interested, so Corey takes the goods to him. Only too late Vogel comes to warn him and just like that they must flee the premises with police all around. 

Much like Le Samourai this film gives off an extremely cool vibe and it makes it all the more enjoyable to watch. Alain Delon is such a smooth operator and whether it is the way he dresses, talks, smokes, or pulls off the heist, it cannot be easily dismissed. However, the other main players give serious and nuanced performances of their own which cannot be overlooked. Melville makes all of his scenes so interesting, through the set up and the fashion in which his characters go through the world of the film. His characters act in the mode of behavior that they believe is correct and most are rather taciturn and guarded. I cannot decide if I like Le Samourai or Le Cercle Rouge better, but it must be said they are in a special class of crime films.

4.5/5 Stars