Le Cercle Rouge Movie Review 1970

An ex-con, an escaped prisoner, a diamond heist, a police manhunt, and mob vengeance--all set during a wet Paris winter. Ex-con Corey (Delon) is planning to rob a jewelry store; Vogel (Volonte) escapes from his police guard, Mattei (Bourvil), during a train trip; fate brings the two together. Corey is in trouble for stealing from the mob and Vogel helps him out. They seek the help of ex-con Jansen (Montand) for their heist (which isn't even the most important part of the movie), while Mattei is out to re-capture Vogel to salvage his reputation. It's trench coats and fedoras and the ever-present smoldering cigarette--and it's all very, very cool. French with subtitles.

Distribution

Criterion Collection, 210 E. 52nd St., 578 Broadway, New York, NY 10022, Phone: (212)212756-8822, Toll-free: 800-446-2001, URL: http://www.criterionco.com, Remarks: Does not sell directly to consumers

Available on DVD
Running time 140 minutes.
Originally from French.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Contemporary Noir, Paris, Heists: Jewels, Ex-Cons, Ex-Cops, Escaped Cons

Screenplay

Jean-Pierre Melville

Cast

Alain Delon, Gian Marie Volonte, Yves Montand, Andre Bourvil, Francois Perier

Cinematography

Henri Decae

Director

Jean-Pierre Melville

Music

Eric De Marsen

Other

Jean Neny, Jacques Carrere, Marie-Sophie Dubus, Theo Meurisse

Producer

Robert Dorfman, Films Corona, Selenia, Rialto Pictures