Borsalino (1970)
8/10
Chapeau ...
5 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
... as they say in France when they find something excellent. In one sense this is a natural successor to the gangster/buddy movies that paired Jean Gabin with Lino Ventura in the fifties but with a tad of English for good measure. It's a Marseilles that Marcel Pagnol chose to ignore, a city filled with hookers, pimps, and gangsters rather than Frank Capra salts of the earth, a city in which - at the time it was set - a nine-year old Yves Montand was growing up and it's a nice touch to throw in a mention of the Alcazar, the Music Hall where Montand played in his first years in the business. Beginning as petty crooks and rivals coming to blows over a woman Delon and Belmondo not only bond but join forces and gradually rise through the ranks until they are running organised crime in the city. It's a fine blend of drama and comedy with a 'Sting' type theme tune that puts one in mind of Newman and Redford, another great team. Well worth seeking out.
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